Hospitals are close to 'running out of cash'

REGION'S NHS UNDER SCRUTINY OVER HUGE DEFICIT

- HELENA VESTY

HOSPITALS across Greater Manchester are so cash-strapped each month that they are having to receive advance payments from the region's NHS to keep services running.

It comes as the region's NHS is already under close scrutiny by national bosses over its near£180m deficit, which it is under strict instructions not to allow to get worse.

Concerns were raised by NHS Greater Manchester bosses that 'several trusts, which run multiple across the region, 'are hospitals potentially running out of cash' as the financial year comes to an end. This has resulted in the region's overarching NHS organisation to pay out monthly allocations to trusts early to 'help with cash flow' for the health care being provided each day in hospitals.

The committee heard how 'several trusts are potentially running out of cash' The committee did not hear which NHS trusts are specifically affected by cash problems, but there are multiple NHS trusts in Greater Manchester that have a number of major hospitals, infirmaries, urgent care locations, and minor injury units under their control meaning a range of health care centres could be affected.