Increased A&E pressure and agency staff costs put foundation trusts further into red

NHS foundation trusts in England became “less operationally resilient” in the last three months of 2014, with increased demand for services and their finances overstretched, especially in the acute care sector, the health sector regulator Monitor has reported.

Foundation trusts failed for the third quarter in a row to meet targets set for waiting times in accident and emergency departments, for treatment for cancer, and for elective care, said the quarterly update on performance.1

It showed that the trusts saw 2.7 million people through emergency departments between October and December 2014, the same as in the previous quarter but 8% higher than in the same period last year. Subsequently, hospitals admitted 570 000 for further treatment, 40 000 more patients than in the same three months in 2013, said the report.

The sector failed to meet the emergency department target for 95% …