DUP's '˜confidence and supply' cash will not reduce health trust's deficit

The Trust is expecting to receive its allocation of the confidence and supply money secured by the DUP from the government this month but that money is to be allocated to new projects and will be ringfenced so cannot be used to reduce the deficit.

The figures were presented to the health and community committee of Derry City and Strabane District Council by Trust director of finance and Leslie Mitchell and director of performance and improvement Theresa Molloy.

“It was a very difficult year for us which started with a deficit of £59 million,” Ms Mitchell told the committee.

“We managed to end the year with a slight surplus of £73,000, but in order to do that, we needed non-recurring funding of £40 million.

“In order to do that, staff had to work incredibly hard and to be very conscious of what was being spent.”

She said that while the Trust did yet not know what its allocation of the £100 million confidence and supply money over the next two years would be, it was working on the principle that, as one of five trusts, it receives 17 percent of the overall annual health budget.

DUP Aderman Hilary McClintock said the confidence and supply money would benefit the Trust.

“It is fantastic to see that the Trust finished the year with a surplus,” she said.

“The confidence and supply money will make a huge difference and I am thrilled that it is coming into the Trust.”

Independent councillor Gary Donnelly said there would be a price to be paid for the confidence and supply funds.

“We need to be careful about this,” he said.

“This money came from a deal done with the DUP to prop up a Tory government and we all know what Tory governments think about the health service.

“There is going to be a price to be paid down the line.”

Ulster Unionist Derek Hussey said it was concerning that the Trust was starting the new financial year with the deficit of £54 million.

The SDLP’s Tina Gardiner added: “The numbers just don’t add up.

“To hear that the Trust needed non-recurring funding of £40 million just to break even does not inspire confidence.

“We are always running to stand still.

“I do not understand why the Trust has to come up with new initiatives in order to get access to money when the ordinary day-to-day stuff isn’t be covered. That frustrates me hugely.”

Ms Mitchell acknowledged that the NHS was struggling to keep pace with demand and that it was difficult to attract medical staff to the north-west generally.

“The NHS is well aware of the year-on-year demands that are being made on it,” she said.

“Investment has simply not kept pace with the demands of the service.

“We have struggled for a long time to get doctors in the west or even getting doctors from elsewhere to go to the west.

“But we have long been supporters of having a medical school here in the west and that will continue.”