News / Health board over budget by £1.4m so far this year
NHS Shetland board members also hear that a new GP for Yell has been recruited
NHS Shetland has overspent against budget so far this financial year by around £1.4 million.
However, members of the health board were reminded on Tuesday that the organisation is expected to achieve its obligation to break-even if it receives an additional £1.2 million for primary care from the Scottish Government.
A financial update report presented to members of the health board on Tuesday showed that at the end of August there had been a 5.7 per cent overspend on budget so far in 2019/20.
Savings achieved for the year to date are £679,000 – nearly £200,000 less than planned.
NHS Shetland received an extra £1.2 million for primary care last year and the official confirmation of this funding boost in 2019/20 is awaited.
Finance director Colin Marsland told health board members that the “two main issues” have been the cost of temporary locum staff to cover vacancies and the need to find efficiency savings.
He did, however, confirm that a new GP is set to start work in Yell in December.
A report presented to the board by Marsland also showed that the board’s overall expenditure in August this year compared to August 2018 increased by £1.117 million.
“This movement is principally caused by increased pay costs of £1,002k, a 7.2 per cent increase on last year,” he wrote.
“Due to 2019/20 pay award and changes in NHS employers superannuation contributions it was expected [for] employed staff costs to increase by 7.6 per cent.”
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