By Jason Lewis, Local Democracy Reporter
The NHS trust which runs Southampton General Hospital needs to make £81 million of savings to break even this year.
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University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust (UHS) ended the last financial year with a £45million deficit.
This blackhole was despite making almost 500 job cuts on the way to achieving around £90million of savings against a £110million target.
UHS leaders are aiming to balance the books in 2026/27, but will need to complete a further £81million of cost improvements to do so.
Chief operating officer Andy Hyett said while workforce controls will remain in place, including not replacing some vacant posts, there are no plans for a trust-wide redundancy scheme.
Mr Hyett said: “Alongside working within a model that better aligns the work we do to the funding we receive, our organisation will be focussed on real transformation – redesigning pathways, improving productivity and reducing duplication and inefficiencies using digital technology.
“This work will engage and enable our teams to provide the right care in the right place for our patients and will be in-step with the ambitions of the NHS 10-year-plan.
“We continue to manage our workforce carefully, and controls – including the non-replacement of some roles – remain in place in addition to ensuring that any recruitment is closely aligned to our transformation programmes and organisational priorities.
“There are no plans for a trust-wide redundancy scheme.”
A report to the trust’s council of governors said the organisation faced several unplanned pressures last year, with demand on the hospital exceeding the level of funded activity, the number of medically fit patients occupying beds and rising mental health patient demand.
The major fire which destroyed the endoscopy facilities and lowered ward capacity had also caused significant disruption, the report said.
The £110million savings target was described as “extremely challenging” and it could not be achieved at the level and pace required.
On the year ahead, Mr Hyett said: “We have a number of operational targets that will also be delivered through our transformation programmes, all of which are central to improving patient care and experience and are fundamental to patient safety and quality of care.”
Marie Finn (Lab, Portswood), councillor responsible for adult social care and public health at Southampton City Council, said she was sorry to hear the hospital continued to have financial stresses.
Cllr Finn said: “The most important thing is our Southampton residents get access to good quality NHS care when and where they need it and Southampton General Hospital serves us really well in that regard at the moment.
“I wish them well in their transformation project.”
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