Speeches

Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-01-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many clinical commissioning groups in England have published recovery plans in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

George Freeman

As part of NHS England’s financial management processes, it expects clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) with planned cumulative overspends to provide it with recovery plans. Financial recovery plans may also be requested where a CCG’s financial position deteriorates during a financial year. In the past three years the number of CCGs with planned cumulative overspends has been nine in 2013/14 (with 19 actual cumulative overspends at year end), 18 in 2014/15 (19 at year end) and 22 in 2015/16 (29 forecast full year overspends as at November 2015).

NHS England has requested CCGs submit final financial plans for 2016/17 by the beginning of April. As in previous years, those planning cumulative deficits will be required to submit or refresh recovery plans. NHS England will not be in a position to estimate the number of CCGs likely to submit recovery plans in 2016/17 until the planning process is further advanced.