HSCP’s financial position

Argyll and Bute Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) is making progress towards savings as it tackles a potential overspend of more than £5 million. The integrated joint board (IJB) which runs the partnership was told recently that while health and social care finances were ‘not good,’ steps were being taken to improve matters. A £4.4m overspend is currently being forecast by the HSCP, which may rise as high as £5.4m depending on a service level agreement with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC). Savings have been slow to the point where only 40 per cent of the target is set to be delivered in the current financial year – but it is felt some progress is being made. Argyll and Bute councillor Gary Mulvaney, a member of the IJB, praised the work of the authority’s head of finance Kirsty Flanagan, who is currently in the same position for the HSCP on an interim basis. He said: ‘This paper went to the quality and financial board. The board has certainly had a thorough look through it and as a matter of record we should appreciate it. ‘One thing that has caused frustration at previous meetings has been the difficulty in reading some of the financial papers. ‘This doesn’t change the overall picture, which is not a good one, but when you see it like this, it is easier. ‘The key things I take out will be the grip and control actions that the board is approving today. ‘As Kirsty says, this is not just a one-week wonder – this is a continuous process to help improve the financial position. ‘Although the outlook is not good there is a positive in that we have better transparency and now that we have the grip and control we can look to move forward and see what difference it makes.’ At the meeting, Mrs Flanagan explained why an overspend was projected when the HSCP was currently operating at an underspend of just more than £500,000. The HSCP, run jointly by the council and NHS Highland, may face even further financial woe if an agreement is not reached with NHSGGC. Mrs Flanagan said: ‘The finances within the different organisations are managed differently. There is no right or wrong approach. ‘There has been a lower than budgeted demand for care home services. The focus of attention needs to be on the full year position, so reporting an overspend of £4.4m is a deterioration on where we were at our November meeting. ‘The main reason for this is difficulty in delivering more than £7m-worth of savings. There also remains a risk to the out turn in the service level agreement with NHSGGC. ‘The board made the decision at the November meeting to reject the agreement and the overspend has been adjusted to reflect this. ‘If this position is not accepted by NHSGGC, the overspend could increase by up to £1.1m.’ Councillor Mulvaney then proposed that a repayment plan from the HSCP to the council was deferred by a year. This involves the authority being repaid any loss made by the HSCP over a threeyear period, with £100,000 due in the first financial year, £400,000 in the second financial year, and the balance in year three. Mrs Flanagan said: ‘We should seek clarification but I think that would be a reasonable request.’ It was also advised that a job description had been finalised for a permanent head of finance with the HSCP and should be advertised soon.