Hospital trust chief praises “exceptional” staff efforts to combat continued challenging pressure

Royal Derby Hospital. Photo by Eddie Bisknell.

By Eddie Bisknell – Local Democracy Reporting Service

Derby’s hospital trust chief has praised “exceptional” efforts staff have put in to combat continued challenging pressure for NHS services, but the organisation has highlighted strain from sickness and “catastrophic” budget issues.

Stephen Posey, chief executive of the University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust, which includes Royal Derby Hospital, has addressed a slew of issues as the health system continued to face heightened pressure for services.

In a report for the trust’s upcoming board meeting, Mr Posey said: “I want to recognise the exceptional efforts across our organisation to prepare for and respond to winter pressures. NHS services nationally continue to experience sustained demand, and our teams have worked tirelessly to ensure patients receive safe care.

“Urgent and emergency care performance remains challenged as it often does across the winter period, and reflects wider system pressures.

“We have heard much about flu across the winter months, with an earlier and sharper impact than in previous years. I am grateful to colleagues who have taken up a vaccination.”

However, Mr Posey writes that just 51 per cent of trust staff took up their free flu vaccine, though this is said to be in line with other organisations and above the national benchmark.

The trust’s staff sickness remains above its 4.5 per cent target and had sat at six per cent, caused by “an early October spike in coughs, colds, and flu”.

He said: “High flu vaccination coverage helps protect colleagues, reduce sickness absence, and safeguard patients through safe staffing and continuity of care, and those staff who have had the jab have my sincere thanks.”

Meanwhile, Mr Posey also highlights that the trust is facing a £28.4 million budget deficit as the end of the current financial year approaches in March, with a need to make £70 million in savings in the following year – from April.

This has seen the trust’s financial position classed as “catastrophic” on its current risk register rating.

Mr Posey writes: “We are forecasting a year-end deficit of £28.4 million and are implementing a financial recovery plan, while reaffirming our ongoing commitment to quality, safety, and the delivery of national performance standards as far as is possible.

“Looking ahead, we understand we will need to deliver a circa £70 million cost improvement programme for 2026/27, which will be critical to improving our underlying position.

“The position is driven primarily by unfunded divisional cost pressures, including urgent care activity above plan, the impact of industrial action, and shortfalls in our own efficiency delivery across divisions which has resulted in less income than expected.

“Reduced reliance on premium solutions (e.g., weekend working and insourcing), supported by improvements in theatre productivity and outpatient flow, is helping stabilise costs while maintaining access and safety.

“This demonstrates that we do have opportunities to deliver efficiencies without compromising quality, but it is clear that we must do more at pace.

“We recognise that moving to a significant deficit position represents a material deterioration in our financial outlook and is not where we wish to be. This position is being treated with the utmost seriousness.

“The board will continue to monitor progress closely and ensure that actions taken do not compromise patient safety or quality of care.”