Board risks exceeding approved $11m deficit

The Southern District Health Board is again at risk of exceeding its approved deficit, and could end the year about $13.7 million in the red unless changes are made, board members heard yesterday.

The board, which is under close financial scrutiny by Health Minister Tony Ryall, the Treasury, and the National Health Board, has an approved deficit of $11 million for 2013-14.

Finance and funding director Robert Mackway-Jones' report said if trends continued, the board would run over by another $2.7 million.

''Many expenditure items are demand driven [by patient need] and largely beyond control.

''That said, other mitigations need to be taken to avoid this scenario.''

January was a high-demand month, including an unusual cluster of complex leukemia cases that helped drive up costs of blood products, the hospital advisory committee heard on Wednesday.

Annual leave liability reduced over the Christmas period, but was still $24.1 million.

The board has also been scrutinising spending on telecommunications, and its service provider had agreed to a $15,000 monthly reduction, by shutting off an unused data cable, the hospital committee heard.

 

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