- NHS trusts collectively ran a deficit of £780 million in 2024/25, according to analysis by the King’s Fund.
- This critical financial state, described as “perilous”, is compelling health leaders to make increasingly difficult choices, impacting patient care and potentially leading to further job cuts.
- Acute hospital trusts, which account for three-quarters of trust spending, saw 69 per cent operating in deficit.
- The King’s Fund noted that NHS trusts have been in deficit for eight of the last 10 years, with exceptions only during the pandemic due to new funding arrangements.
- Experts criticised the Chancellor’s spring statement for not adequately addressing these financial pressures, arguing that current spending levels do not align with the government’s ambitions for the NHS.
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