Health bosses warn of ongoing budget pressure due to limited funding and older population

Local NHS health commissioners say a growing elderly population and limited funding is set to continue.

Despite the pressures they face, Hartlepool and Stockton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) managed to break even in 2018-19.

The CCG’s annual report for 2018/2019 sets out how it performed over the previous year and its aims and ambitions for the next year.

The CCG had a total annual budget of £475.4million in 2018/19 from NHS England.

The annual report stated: “Relevant costs amounted to £458.874 million, when combined with the position reported on running costs, this resulted in a total in-year breakeven position being delivered on all revenue budgets.”

It added: “The financial pressures facing the NHS are substantial and well documented, with the impact of an aging and growing population leading to significantly increased costs against a backdrop of limited financial resources.

“Significant pressures continued to be evident during 2018/19, not only for the CCG but across the local health economy, and it is likely these pressures will continue to grow over the coming years.”

Potential savings will be sought over the coming year which the CCG said will be a ‘significant challenge’.

The CCG reflected on a positive year which saw it rated outstanding following an annual assessment published by NHS England.