NHS healthy in Lothians

Published on 28/01/2013 12:00

NHS Lothian remains on course to break even in the current financial year, health chiefs have revealed.

Susan Goldsmith, the health board’s director of finance, has reported an underspend of £600,000 for the nine months to the end of last month.

However, the board failed to meet its efficiency savings ­targets for the financial year.

The underspend will reduce in coming months as the level of unachieved efficiency ­savings, currently £1.1 million, reaches the predicted level of £3.9m.

The health board has been forced to invest £27m this year in a bid to reduce its waiting times backlog, although £10m of the cash was an advance from the Scottish Government.

A further £20m investment in capacity has been pledged for 2013/14.