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Budget is bust

NHS trusts overspent by £648million, with health bosses blaming a surge in demand and ‘bed blocking’

Figures have revealed six in ten trusts broke their budgets and the true overspend will be nearer £2.47billion

A test email was sent to all 1.2 million employees at NHS, crashing the system

NHS trusts overspent by £648million in the first half of this financial year.

Health chiefs blame a surge in demand and cuts in social care that have led to increased “bed blocking”.

 Trusts overspent by £648million in the fist half of this financial year
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Trusts overspent by £648million in the fist half of this financial yearCredit: Alamy

Six in ten trusts broke their budgets, with the deficit forecast to hit £669million by the end of the year. And £1.8billion of emergency funding in 2016-17 means the true overspend will be nearer £2.47billion.

Bosses spent 16 per cent more on agency staff than planned, despite strict new rules limiting their pay.

 Sally Gainsbury of the Nuffield Trust said money is "tightly squeezed"
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Sally Gainsbury of the Nuffield Trust said money is "tightly squeezed"

Trusts have seen a 4.1 per rise in admissions to major A&E departments and a 35 per cent increase in bed blocking.

Health think tanks say the figures highlight the need for more NHS funding in the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement next week.

 Think tanks say the figures highlight the need for more NHS funding in the Autumn Statement
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Think tanks say the figures highlight the need for more NHS funding in the Autumn StatementCredit: Getty Images

Sally Gainsbury of the Nuffield Trust said: “More people need healthcare, yet the money to provide it is tightly squeezed.”

A major incident warning was sent to staff of the University Hospitals of Leicester Trust this week when parts of the emergency department became “permanently full”.

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