Health overspend £1.3 million less than predicted

The forecast overspend for the year by health chiefs in Argyll and Bute has dipped below £300,000 due, in part, to reductions in care packages and unfilled vacancies.

The area’s health and social care partnership (HSCP) had predicted a £1.6 million overspend after three

months of the financial year, which began in April.

That was quickly reduced to £800,000 after detailed analysis of social work budgets, and by the end of October had been lowered further to £681,000.

As of the end of November, the

forecast overspend for the end of March 2022 stood at £281,000.

These are the most recent figures in a report presented to the HSCP’s integration joint board (IJB) at its virtual meeting on Wednesday January 26.

HSCP’s head of finance and

transformation James Gow said: ‘A year-end overspend of £280,000 is forecast against the budget of £307 million. The position has improved significantly and does not yet take into account all of the additional funding allocations announced in late 2021.’