NHS Grampian faces 'toughest financial challenge' of £77million saving

NHS Grampian will face its toughest financial challenge to date.

Interim boss Dr Adam Coldwells forecasts savings of 77 million pounds in the coming financial year.

He's due to give a report tomorrow at a board meeting.

He said the medium-term financial plan will be set out in April but he warned the health board is likely to continue to experience an “extremely challenging financial landscape”.

His report said: “Whilst we are at an advanced stage in our financial planning for 2024/25, our forecasts anticipate a more challenging year for all health boards than we ever previously experienced.

“Indications are that NHS Grampian will be required to identify and achieve savings in excess of £77 million.

“The scale of this challenge is unprecedented and cannot be underestimated.”

The report states the scale of financial reduction will be achieved through a mix of “close day-to-day spending, significant focus on organisation-wide areas of high expenditure, and transformation driven by clinical services”.

In the short-term, staff are encouraged to “play their part” by using resources efficiently.

He's also expected to express his disappointment at Holyrood's decision to pause capital projects.

Any money NHS Grampian receives next year will now be spent on day to day running.

It means bosses still don't know in two new hospitals in Aberdeen will open, four years after they were meant to.

They also don’t know how much it will cost to bring the Baird Family Hospital, the city's new maternity hospital, and Anchor Centre up to standard and repair any issues.

Both saw construction delays and soaring costs during the pandemic and have been affected by other global events since.

Revisions have already more than doubled the final price.