§ Mr. Andrew TurnerTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he has issued to NHS regional chief executives on(a) the need for health bodies to balance their budgets and (b) advice to give where overspends are anticipated. [32703]
§ Mr. HuttonThe Department issued "NHS Plan Implementation Programme" which provided guidance on priorities. Within this guidance, a target of financial balance has been set which is managed in year by the Department's regional offices.
Where health bodies require support at year-end this will be provided principally through brokerage from elsewhere in the national health service.