Essex Health Trust Referred Over Financial Worries

24 July 2014, 17:14

Mid Essex Hospital Services has been referred to the Health Secretary over financial concerns.

The trust which oversees hospitals in Chelmsford, Maldon and Braintree is one of nineteen that have been flagged up to Jeremy Hunt - compared with five in 2012-13 - according to the Audit Commission.

Marcine Waterman, Controller of Audit, said auditors were reporting concerns about the financial resilience of a third of trusts this year, compared with a quarter for the previous 12-month period.

She added: "This level of reporting is worrying and reflects the increasing risks to the financial sustainability of individual NHS trusts as they continue to face sizeable financial pressures due to a rising demand for services and the necessary focus on quality of care, whilst balancing the need for continued cost savings.''

The report - entitled Auditing the Accounts 2013/14: NHS Bodies - covers the timeliness and quality of accounts, arrangements to secure value for money and auditors' use of their statutory reporting powers at 101 NHS trusts and 211 CCGs.