NHS trusts in England ‘facing £1.9bn deficit’

Hospitals face a £ 1.9bn “financial bombshell”, Ed Miliband will claim today after a leaked survey revealed that nearly two-thirds of NHS trusts expect they will fall into the red this year.

The looming deficits could force hospital managers to cut services, lay off staff and close wards, the Labour leader will say as he seeks to turn the focus on to the health service in the final 48 hours of campaigning.

Mr Miliband will seize on a private analysis by NHS Providers, which represents foundation trusts, which found 64 of 98 trusts would make a projected loss in 201516 of £759m.The forecast joint deficit is three times more than they recorded last year and is the equivalent of £1.86bn across England’s 240 trusts.

Those heading for the biggest losses include Lancashire Teaching Hospitals (projected £52.1m), Mid Essex Hospital Services (£45m) and Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals (£43.8m).

The King’s Fund warned last week that the health service faced its worst funding problems in recent history. The think-tank said the NHS appeared to have overspent its budget by more than £800m in 2014-15 despite receiving emergency Treasury funds. It also found that waits at accident and emergency depart- ments were at their longest since 2003.

Mr Miliband will claim the health service is in “grave danger” under David Cameron because of the £3bn cost of the “top-down re-organisation” of the NHS as well as cuts to social care and nursing training.

“Today we discover the financial bombshell he has kept hidden from everyone until now,” the Labour leader will say. “Two-thirds of hospitals face having to make swingeing cuts, not at some point in the future, but this year, because of a cash crisis made in Downing Street.

“That will mean staff cut, beds lost and services closed. And it iswhywe need Labour’s better plan for the NHS – a fully funded plan to get more resources into the NHS and start turning things around, a real plan with real money for real action right now.”

Mr Cameron said last week that the health service was “his life’s work” and added: “I profoundly believe that the NHS grows with the Conservatives.”The Conservatives have pledged to find the extra £8bn which Simon Stevens, the chief executive of NHS England, said hospitals would need by 2020.

The television chef, Delia Smith, yesterday endorsed the Labour Party. “What I believe profoundly, is the party that campaigned for [the NHS] and created it will be the best one to nurture and sustain it for the future,” she said.