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| 'Huge pressure' on hospital funds | 'Huge pressure' on hospital funds |
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| Staffing levels and funding for patient care at hospitals throughout Wales will be under "enormous pressure" next year, managers have warned. | Staffing levels and funding for patient care at hospitals throughout Wales will be under "enormous pressure" next year, managers have warned. |
| NHS finance directors say they are facing a shortfall in funding of 5% in the assembly government's draft budget. | NHS finance directors say they are facing a shortfall in funding of 5% in the assembly government's draft budget. |
| They said "difficult choices" affecting staff and services would have to be made if they were to balance the books. | They said "difficult choices" affecting staff and services would have to be made if they were to balance the books. |
| The assembly government, which has been asked to comment, has meanwhile announced £5.5m for Ysbyty Glan Clwyd. | The assembly government, which has been asked to comment, has meanwhile announced £5.5m for Ysbyty Glan Clwyd. |
| Paul Davies, chairman of the All Wales Directors of Finance for the NHS, will tell the assembly finance committee that they will receive £41m less than expected in the next financial year. | Paul Davies, chairman of the All Wales Directors of Finance for the NHS, will tell the assembly finance committee that they will receive £41m less than expected in the next financial year. |
| The draft budget proposes a spend of £5.8bn on health and social services. | The draft budget proposes a spend of £5.8bn on health and social services. |
| Mr Davies said although it was an increase of 2.6% on this year, it was "by far the lowest increase received for many years" against "a backdrop of increasing non-avoidable financial pressures". | Mr Davies said although it was an increase of 2.6% on this year, it was "by far the lowest increase received for many years" against "a backdrop of increasing non-avoidable financial pressures". |
| The scale of the challenge, however, cannot be underestimated Paul Davies, All Wales Directors of Finance for the NHS | The scale of the challenge, however, cannot be underestimated Paul Davies, All Wales Directors of Finance for the NHS |
| He said the main priority for the NHS was to maintain and improve safe, quality services, "but this becomes increasingly challenging in the context of constrained budgets," he warned. | |
| "The nationally negotiated pay settlement, increases in demand, costs of new drugs and technologies as well as the requirement to deliver ministerial priorities will place enormous financial pressure on the health service in Wales in 2010-11." | "The nationally negotiated pay settlement, increases in demand, costs of new drugs and technologies as well as the requirement to deliver ministerial priorities will place enormous financial pressure on the health service in Wales in 2010-11." |
| He said in order to balance the books managers recognised they had to transform the way services were delivered. | He said in order to balance the books managers recognised they had to transform the way services were delivered. |
| "Such wholesale changes will take some time to deliver but it is important that this journey is started immediately." | "Such wholesale changes will take some time to deliver but it is important that this journey is started immediately." |
| He welcomed the chance for hospitals to secure extra money to fund projects leading to increased productivity and efficiency savings in the long run. | He welcomed the chance for hospitals to secure extra money to fund projects leading to increased productivity and efficiency savings in the long run. |
| "The scale of the challenge, however, cannot be underestimated as savings requirements are estimated to be 5-6% for 2010-11," he added. | "The scale of the challenge, however, cannot be underestimated as savings requirements are estimated to be 5-6% for 2010-11," he added. |
| Operating theatres | Operating theatres |
| Conservative opposition assembly leader Nick Bourne AM said: "This is a damning appraisal of the state of NHS finances in the year ahead. | Conservative opposition assembly leader Nick Bourne AM said: "This is a damning appraisal of the state of NHS finances in the year ahead. |
| "For the sake of patient care, jobs and services, the assembly government cannot afford to ignore warnings such as this." | "For the sake of patient care, jobs and services, the assembly government cannot afford to ignore warnings such as this." |
| Meanwhile Health Minister Edwina Hart has announced £5.44m for three new operating theatres in north Wales. | |
| The money will help to provide two laparoscopic (keyhole surgery) theatres and a urology day care unit at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd in Rhyl. | |
| The extra theatre space is expected to increase capacity on the site by 20% allowing more operations to be performed and helping to reduce waiting times for surgery. | The extra theatre space is expected to increase capacity on the site by 20% allowing more operations to be performed and helping to reduce waiting times for surgery. |