NHS Birmingham and Solihull are grappling with significant budget deficits as winter brings increased pressures on healthcare services. As of September, the NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board reported a £37.3 million deficit—over £21 million worse than originally forecast for this point in the financial year.
Despite this, board members remain confident that, with targeted efforts in the second half of the year, the deficit can be reduced and annual financial plans met. However, ongoing challenges loom large, including rising demand from flu cases and expected industrial action.
The financial report highlights that the wage bill is a primary contributor to the deficit. Substantive pay exceeded the plan by £18.4 million, and bank pay was £10.4 million over budget. On a positive note, agency pay costs were £3.6 million below projections, while other pay categories improved by £2.3 million.
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Although planned efficiency savings are on track overall, the NHS is currently £14.6 million behind the year-to-date target. The Financial Recovery Board is actively working to accelerate progress in this area.
Pressure on services is intensifying. On December 8, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust declared a critical incident with 269 inpatients admitted across its hospitals, including nine in critical condition. The Trust noted extreme demand partly driven by high numbers of flu patients requiring admission.
In response, the hospitals have implemented mandatory mask-wearing in all clinical areas and expanded ward and emergency department capacity. Nevertheless, emergency departments remain overcrowded with prolonged wait times. The Trust is encouraging patients to consider alternative healthcare options such as pharmacies or NHS 111 for non-emergency issues.
Compounding these pressures, the British Medical Association Resident Doctors' Committee has announced a strike planned from December 17 through December 22, potentially further impacting hospital services.