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| Debt hit-squads in 25% of trusts | ||||
 emerged one in four NHS trusts has had financial hit-squads sent in to rectify debts. Ministers first announced consultants would be going into 18 of the worst-hit NHS trusts in England in January. But that figure has risen to 143 as the NHS struggles with deficits - trusts predict debts of o ver £1bn this year. The government said the "turnaround" teams were offering varying levels of support and oing an important job. External consultants It is not known how much the teams are costing, because most of the funding is coming from individual trusts or strategic health authorities - regional bodies which oversee NHS trusts. However, the NHS in England is set to spend £172m this year on external management consultants - a rise of 83% in two years, according to figures obtained by the Conservatives. Not all the teams involve external consultants as some trusts are using in-house NHS teams and the help on offer varies from consultants having positions on the board to financial experts acting in an advisory role. Shadow health minister Stephen O'Brien said: "The impact of Labour's financial mismanagement of our NHS is exposed through the vast increase in the number of turnaround teams. "As they are Labour's solution to Labour's problem it is no surprise that the cost they incur is vast. "Labour can no longer be trusted to run our NHS. By sending in these hit-squads it is clear that they no longer even trust themselves." | ||||
