Celia Wigg Health bosses today announced that Suffolk Primary Care Trust is now debt free for the first time thanks to massive efforts from NHS organisations and robust financial plans.

Celia Wigg

Health bosses today announced that Suffolk Primary Care Trust is now debt free for the first time thanks to massive efforts from NHS organisations and robust financial plans.

After paying off £18.9m during 2007/08 and paying back the final £12m of historic debt this April, it means Suffolk PCT is now free to invest about £17m in extending and improving services during the next 12 months.

These will include developing education programmes for people with long-term conditions, improving access to community health services and increasing “talking therapies” to help people with depression and anxiety.

Julian Herbert, the trust's director of performance, said: “We have worked really hard to reduce the debt, looking at every area of expenditure within the PCT. Suffolk PCT staff and those across the NHS organisations have put in an incredible effort in what have been difficult times to achieve this.

“Our improved efficiency on spending has been helped by using generic drugs instead of more expensive branded medication, helping people avoid long-term stays in hospital and merging PCTs.”

He said good quality healthcare had been delivered to the people of Suffolk during the turn round, and they had performed well against national targets to reduce waiting times from referral to treatment, in accident and emergency and for diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

Suffolk PCT was formed on October 2006 by a merger of four PCTs, Ipswich, Suffolk Central, Suffolk Coastal and Suffolk West. These had made inroads into reducing their debts to hand over a £35.4m historic debt to the single organisation.

Alastair McWhirter, chairman of Suffolk PCT, said he was delighted with the progress made.

“The financial challenge was huge, but through the commitment and hard work of PCT staff and our partners in the NHS, we have put the debt behind us and seen improvements in performance. We can start the new financial year with confidence and in a good position from which to deliver further improvements and investment in services,” he stressed.