Oral question asked in the House of Lords, by Baroness Gardner of Parkes (Conservative). It was answered by Lord Warner (Labour) on Wednesday, 14 December 2005.

NHS Funding: Patient Care

Question: What plans they have to ensure that any long-term National Health Service deficit does not adversely affect patient care.

Answer: My Lords, there is no long-term NHS deficit. In 2004–05, there was an overall deficit of around £250 million, 0.4 per cent of the budget, compared with £460 million in 1996–97, 1.5 per cent of the budget. Given the record levels of investment that this Government have made in the NHS, all NHS organisations should be able to live within their available resources, and the great majority are. Fifty per cent of the current in-year forecast deficit relates to 23 organisations out of 566. Turnaround teams are assisting organisations with the largest deficits to improve their performance. We expect the NHS to return to overall balance next year.

Secondary information