NHS Dumfries and Galloway approved its financial plan for 2018/19 at its board meeting on Monday – identifying savings of £17.346 million to be delivered to remain in financial balance.
Director of Finance Katy Lewis said: “The Board recognises that we’re currently facing an unprecedented level of financial challenge.
“And we are committed to working with our partners within Dumfries and Galloway Health and Social Care Partnership to ensure that any savings measures and service transformation is delivered in partnership with communities to continue to deliver safe, sustainable and efficient services.
“Challenges associated with improving waiting times have been recognised as part of the Board’s Operational Plan.
“And we are working in partnership with Scottish Government to seek to improve our performance in line with March 2017 levels through accessing additional resources for waiting times improvements.
“In addition, a request made to the Scottish Government for an additional £4.5 million is aimed at enhancing staffing, improving waiting times and supplementing staffing in general wards.
“Enhancing staffing within the emergency care centre will help us to meet the four hour treatment standard.
“This money will supplement staffing in the downstream wards, and we will be working closely with our clinical teams to ensure making the very best use of any additional investment which we receive.”
The projected financial budget for NHS Dumfries and Galloway is £365 million.
