Highland health chiefs have pledged that a further £100million budget cut over the next three years will not impact on patient care.
They are braced for “the toughest year ever” after already making £28million of savings this financial year.
Finance director Nick Kenton confirmed at a board meeting in Inverness yesterday that the local health board had “broken even” after “holding our nerve”.
It envisages a need for £47million of savings in 2017-18 – £15million of which is still to be found.
Savings already identified will come from the Highland Health and Social Care Partnership (£13.6million), the central/corporate budget (£11.93million) and Argyll and Bute (£6.5million).
The board yesterday agreed a package of reductions including £20.5million in “continuous quality improvement,” £1.6million of savings in adult care and by spending £1.2million less on drugs.
A report from the board’s “director of strategic commissioning, planning and performance” Deborah Jones signposted a reduction in time patients are treated in hospital, more use of technology for remote consultations and less dependence on costly medical locums.
It also highlighted plans to “reduce staff suspensions” and for an ambitious drive to cut sick leave.
Asked if targets could be achieved without impacting patient care, board chairman David Alston said: “Yes, I think it can but it needs a real pace of change in the delivery of services.
“The important thing is that we approach it in a way that is not about cutting services. It’s about the best possible use of our resources, by getting rid of waste.
“We have areas where we don’t deliver to the standard I would want us to. Our waiting times are not at the level I would want. I’m not going to give unrealistic guarantees but we will go about this by asking where we’re wasting resources.”
Mr Kenton praised staff for their part in helping to balance the books.
“We will be facing increasing challenges going forward,” he said. “For me, I think the key is to keep holding our nerve.”
