According to a Lowdown survey of recent board papers, Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) covering the South West of England are cutting spending on workforce and continuing healthcare.
Many of the board papers include optimistic targets for implementing elective care, which can boost the ICS’s income.
Three ICS have large deficits and will receive further penalties for finishing the year in the red.
The overarching impression from all the board papers is that the ICSs are struggling to rein in costs and improve services.
In services where performance is improving, it is by small amounts, and national targets have still not been met in many cases.
Full article in The Lowdown, 20 September 2024