CONTROVERSIAL money-saving plans could see South Warwickshire Foundation Trust lose nearly £1.5million in funding if it does not hit targets.
The Coventry and Warwickshire Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) will curb NHS spending over the next five years in a bid to save £267million.
Many changes will be seen across local healthcare, including preventing people having to stay in hospital by increasing the number of home births and the number of people who die at home.
To help implement these changes and to prevent hospital overspending, trusts are entitled to Sustainability and Transformation Funding. In the case of SWFT – which runs Warwick, Leamington, Stratford and Shipston hospitals, and some community care – the funding equals £4.8million this year.
But the trust will lose 30 per cent of that total – around £1.44 million – if Warwick Hospital fails to see 95 per cent of A&E patients within four hours. It must also prove it has sent enough patients to their GP instead of through hospital doors.
Trust bosses hope to get through winter without losing funding.
A spokeswoman said: “We are entering into one of the most challenging periods of the year. Coming into winter we are already seeing an increase in demand for our emergency services.
“We do however have an extremely hardworking and dedicated workforce and our system wide approach has been praised nationally.
“Our A&E team will be working closely with the acute medical and community teams, as well as social and primary care to improve the flow of patients in urgent care, ensuring that patients receive the right treatment in most appropriate setting.”
But the trust is in good hands.
The man responsible for overseeing development of A&E services across the country is SWFT chief executive Glen Burley, who has consistently been commended for his running of Warwick’s emergency department.
He is also leading the development of A&E services across Coventry and Warwickshire as part of the STP.
The plan recommends that ‘citizens are only treated in hospital when absolutely necessary and for the shortest time possible’.
The trust will find out next year whether it will receive the full total of Sustainability and Transformation funding.
