REDBRIDGE: Health budget yet to be agreed (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

REDBRIDGE: Health budget yet to be agreed

5:59pm Thursday 11th March 2010 in

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HEALTH chiefs have agreed a “financial strategy” for the next five years, but have yet to agree a final budget for this year.

This means broad figures have been set out up to 2015 but spending for 2010/11 has yet to be officially decided.

Members of Interface, a support group run by and for parents of disabled children, feared cutbacks could be made to vital services such as physiotherapy and speech and language therapy.

They claimed they were told services would either stay at their current level of funding or have cash taken away, meaning their children's development could suffer.

But although figures have not been set out for the budget, it was revealed at a meeting today that NHS Redbridge has seen a surplus of £9m – £1.5m higher than expected.

Terry Huff, finance director for NHS Redbridge, said: “It's good news. Because it's as high as that, we're going to use less of our reserves.

“That means more reserves are available for next year.”

He described the health service as being in “an improved financial” position.

Figures have also shown that NHS Redbridge is performing well in its treatment of a variety of illnesses while spending less on average than other parts of London.

Its budget has also increased by 3.5 per cent from last year, rising to £406m, but it has been proposed that spending on children's services drop from £7.6m to £7.3m.

A plan is expected to be drawn up under national guidance to make sure disabled children in particular have access to treatment, short breaks and palliative care.

The final budget for 2010/11 will be agreed this month.