How we used our resources in 2009-10
Jonathan Tringham, Director of Resources at NHS Birmingham East and North, shows how resources have been used for 2009-10 in his commentary for the Annual Report.
In 2009/10 NHS Birmingham East and North invested £712m and delivered a surplus of £2.453m, ensuring that we continue to invest the substantial majority of our resources on healthcare. The emphasis again this year has been on ensuring that we make wise investments to ensure we obtain value for money across the trust. We have continued to focus on the redesign of some of our services to release resources for investment elsewhere.
The trust was required to plan for a surplus of £2.447m as its contribution to the overall surplus of NHS West Midlands. We achieved an actual year end surplus of £2.453m.
Throughout the year, the trust has made planned investments in a number of service areas, including the continued expansion of Birmingham OwnHealth® and the introduction of new services in partnership with Healthcare at Home Ltd in the areas of long-term conditions, end of life care and enhanced supported discharge. We also managed the continuing impact of the 18 week referral to treatment target, the anticipated pressures in emergency care over the winter period and the impact of the swine flu pandemic with regards to the distribution of antiviral drugs and the staff and patient vaccination programmes.
Two of the three new Equitable Access GP practices opened during 2009/10 in Hodge Hill and Washwood Heath. During the year, tenders were awarded for the third GP practice, which opened in May 2010 in Kingstanding, and the Erdington Health and Wellbeing Walk-in Centre, which opened in July 2010.
The development of the trust’s primary care facilities through the Local Improvement Finance Trust (LIFT) initiative continued with the opening in May 2009 of the Richmond Primary Care Centre in Stechford. Construction commenced on two further LIFT facilities in the areas of Hodge Hill and Saltley, with both properties due to be completed in April 2011. The Equitable Access GP practices that opened during 2009/10 will relocate in to these new LIFT facilities upon completion.
Management costs have increased from 2008/09, due to the required investment in infrastructure to support the management of the trust’s contracts and delivery of national, regional and local priorities. This will need to be carefully reviewed in light of the requirement for management cost savings across the NHS.
Management consultancy costs were first separately analysed for the 2008/09 operating cost statement and these costs have reduced by 25% in 2009/10. The PCT has continued to invest in specific skills and capacity to support its activities and functions primarily through strategic partnerships with Dr Foster Intelligence, Healthcare at Home and VISTA Consulting.
During 2010/2011 we will continue to make strategic investments designed to achieve our core purpose of tackling inequalities and improving the health and wellbeing of our communities.
