Oswestry orthopaedic hospital income reduced £150,000 by bad weather
Income at Oswestry's orthopaedic hospital has reduced £150,000 in the last month because of adverse weather conditions.
Board members at the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital heard from director of finance Craig Macbeth at a meeting about the hospital's financial performance in December.
He told members there was a reduced elective capacity, both for patients and the workforce, and the intense snowfall in December was a challenge to the hospital.
As a result of the adverse weather, Mr Macbeth said the income for the hospital reduced by £150,000, and that was coupled with the normal pressures they face on a monthly basis.
The snowy conditions, which brought large parts of the region to a standstill on more than one occasion, meant that the hospital could not utilise as much theatre time as normal.
Just 84.6 per cent of theatre lists were utilised in December, and the trust was 26 sessions short, partly due to the weather and partly due to not being able to secure sufficient additional sessions between Christmas and New Year.
Mr Macbeth also reported a large deficit in December of £804,000, and the hospital was £183,000 behind their recovery plan target.
However he said cash balances remained static for the month of December which is in line with the plan.
Mr Macbeth also told board members during the meeting at the hospital in Gobowen, that the trust was overall £244,000 behind the recovery plan for the month, and theatre income was £469,000 behind.
He insisted that the number of people coming through the door for theatre operations plays a key role in the hospital's finances.
Mr Macbeth said: "The finances are led by the activity we get through the doors."
Another key point within the report from the finance director was that agency spend reached £135,000 in December, but that the trust remains within the NHS improvement control total year to date.
