In February St George’s Healthcare announced that it is planning to save £55 million during 2011/12.
The figure is made up of a £40 million cost reduction programme (CRP) and £15 million related to quality, innovation, productivity, prevention (QIPP) targets.
The £40m cost reduction target is linked to NHS efficiency savings, tariff reductions and cost pressures.
QIPP is a new NHS programme designed to provide care to patients closer to home, particularly those with long-term conditions, as the NHS changes the way it spends money and moves towards a focus on prevention rather than cure. For St George’s Healthcare this means adjusting hospital services to reflect the fact that more care will be provided in general practice and in the community.
David Astley, St George’s Healthcare chief executive said: “St George’s Healthcare is not immune to the financial challenges currently facing the wider NHS. The whole public sector is having to make difficult and painful choices to help reduce the deficit. All hospitals are being asked to contribute to the 20% productivity improvement needed by the NHS and we are no exception.
“Our savings plans are being finalised and we are aiming to protect frontline services but we will need to take out posts to achieve our target. So far we have identified 200 posts that will go but are planning to avoid compulsory redundancies with those staff affected being redeployed into existing vacancies. We have rigorous quality control at a ward and clinic level to ensure that changes are made safely.
“A key focus is to reduce our temporary staffing bill, which is currently £30 million per year and we are also reviewing non-clinical services.
“The trust is a major trauma centre, hyper-acute stroke unit and centre of excellence for cancer, cardiac and women’s and children’s services and we are committed to providing quality care to our patients.
“By working together I am confident that we can achieve our savings while continuing to provide high standards of care.”
Any GPs with questions about St George's Healthcare's financial plans should contact Dominic Dickinson, primary care liaison manager, in the first instance. You can contact Dominic at:
Dominic Dickinson
Primary care liaison manager
Telephone 020 8725 4235
dominic.dickinson@stgeorges.nhs.uk
