Moray health bosses say ‘no easy choices left’ to plug budget shortfall ahead of meeting of Moray Integration Joint Board
Moray health bosses are warning that there are “no easy choices left” as they look to plug a £12.2 million funding shortfall.
The Moray Integration Joint Board (IJB), which is responsible for overseeing the 2025/26 revenue budget of £214 million for health, social work and care services in the region, will meet on Thursday this week to finalise spending plans for the year ahead.
The board is being asked to consider a range of “service redesigns” and savings proposals to achieve a balanced budget.
A report published on March 20 outlines how annual funding is not enough to maintain services in their current form.
Health and Social Care Moray teams have identified six new savings proposals for 2025/26 which will be discussed this week.
They include:
• Review of self-directed support (SDS) packages to increase recovery of surplus direct payment funds (saving £350,000)
• Prescribing efficiencies programme working with GP practices and care homes to promote cost effective prescribing (saving £169,000)
• Reduction in staff overtime (saving £200,000)
• Review of provision of palliative care services (saving £117,000)
• Vacancy management across all services (saving £1.135m)
• A 3.4% budget reduction on all services not already subject to an agreed savings proposal (saving £2.021m)
The new savings could be implemented alongside previously agreed measures for 2025/26.
In total, there are already 14 agreed upon cuts.
They include:
• Review and redesign of internal care at home service (saving £122,000)
• Redesign of mental health in-patient service including use of locums (saving £261,000)
• Redesign of GMED out of hours service (saving £110,000)
• Review of care packages and use of spot purchase spend versus block contract spend (saving £1.7m)
• New model of planned and emergency respite provision (saving £413,000)
• Embedding a proportionate care approach to meeting the complex moving and handling needs of individuals for internal and external providers of care (saving £555,000)
• Redesign of nighttime model of care delivery in services for people with a learning disability (saving £277,000)
• Redesign of community hospitals (saving £200,000)
• Review of contracts with commissioned service providers (saving £350,000)
• Review of day services (saving £220,000)
• Review of staffing arrangements for complex and challenging behaviour service (saving £159,000)
• Review of use of beds in care homes for people with a learning disability (saving £491,000)
• Digital and technology strategy (saving £100,000)
• Review of contract arrangements for transport (saving £146,000)
Some of the proposals have been branded “contentious” in budget papers.
Judith Proctor, chief officer of the Moray IJB and Health and Social Care Moray, said: “Despite our diligent efforts to control spending and secure best value, the unprecedented scale of the financial pressures facing us means there are no easy choices left.
“The actions required to close this funding gap and set a balanced budget will inevitably impact how services are provided.
“However, we remain committed to working closely with our staff and communities to navigate these difficult challenges together.
“Our priority remains protecting essential care and support for the most vulnerable, while ensuring the long-term sustainability of services that help people live well and as independently as possible.
“Achieving this requires a bold programme of change to secure the most effective, efficient and high-quality health and care system we can for the people of Moray.”
The proposed £9.4m of cuts with a further £1m coming from savings still leaves £1.5m unaccounted for.
The budget report says that achieving the full savings target will be “challenging” and failing to meet the additional £1.5m will mean “further intervention” is needed.
