London's health service is facing “imminent collapse” after a huge surge in budget deficits, Labour mayoral candidate Sadiq Khan claimed today.
Twenty-one out of the 38 trusts are forecast to overspend this year, according to official figures that show the total deficit headed towards half a billion pounds over the past five years.
London’s biggest hospital, Bart’s, is set to run a record deficit of £134.9 million, which would be the biggest in the history of the NHS.
Across the capital, the financial picture has gone from a healthy surplus of £132 million in 2010 to a deficit of £146 million last year, with a deficit of £519 million forecast this year.
Mr Khan called for powers for the Mayor to take on a new role in planning services to make up for the abolition of strategic health authority NHS London in 2013.
A spokesman for the NHS Trust Development Authority said: “The scale of the financial challenge is clear, so we have asked providers to submit challenging, but realistic plans for next year.
“All providers need to continue to work hard on their finances this year and develop a plan for 2016/17, taking into account the recommendations of the Carter Review and the need to reduce reliance on agency staff.”
