Hospital bosses predict financial black hole will shrink

Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals Trust has appointed a new Director of Finance, Jon Sargeant, who will join the Trust in November 2016.

He is currently Director of Finance at Burton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and has over 25 years of experience, working exclusively within the health service.

The trust says it expects its deficit to be down to £20 million by the end of the financial year.

A spokesman said: “The Trust’s original planned deficit for the financial year 16/17 was -£24.7m.

“We are now forecasting a substantial reduction in our planned deficit to less than -£20m due to a number of cost saving measures and new, and innovative, ways of working.

“For the period from April to September of this year, the trust is reporting a deficit of £7.6m against a revised planned deficit of £10.4m”.

Mike Pinkerton, Chief Executive at the hospitals trust, said: “We are delighted to welcome Jon to the organisation and look forward to working with him.

“Coming with high recommendation, Jon brings a wealth of experience to the Trust which will be invaluable in helping us to meet the challenges we face in the coming years.”

Mr Sargeant said: “Ensuring that the Trust is financially healthy will require considerable skill, however I am confident that, alongside the team, we will be able to meet these challenges whilst continuing to offer high quality services for the people of Doncaster, Bassetlaw and beyond.”

Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals Trust ended the last financial year with a deficit of at least £30m following the discovery of a £12m financial black hole in July last year.

The misreporting of the Trust’s finances prompted the resignation of its previous finance chief Michael Lowry and the launch of an internal investigation, which is still ongoing.