HEALTH bosses in Dorset have revealed more than £11 million was overspent last year, with referrals for 'rapidly deteriorating patients' in the county the fourth highest in England.

Dorset's Personal Health Commissioning (PHC) team, which is responsible for the commissioning of health and social care for individuals against criteria for specific health funding streams, overspent by £11.2 million in 2019/20, new figures reveal.

A new report, released by NHS Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), blames the additional spending on an increase in demand for specific services, including children and young people's continuing service, mental health aftercare services and complex rehabilitation for those with a brain injury.

One key challenge the PHC team has faced, the report details, is the high levels of referrals for the 'fast track' funding pathway, which is funding for patients who are 'rapidly deteriorating and maybe entering a terminal phase' in their illness. Dorset is the fourth highest recipient of referrals for this funding stream in England.

The report also lists high levels of 'interim funding', which is a funding pathway for individuals leaving hospital for a short period of time while they wait for an assessment for continuing healthcare, and consistent levels of children with highly complex needs including ventilation in a community setting.

In recognition of these challenges, the PHC team has put measures in place to try to reduce additional spending.

Measures include creating new models of the 'interim' and 'fast-track' funding to reduce the number of patients on those pathways and a new IT system to give staff a greater visibility of workflow.

The report states: "The new interim funding model has resulted in a significant reduction in the levels of inappropriate referrals. The associated cost avoidance is estimated to be more than £3 million.

"The PHC service expects 2020/21 to remain challenging. The focus will be to address high costs of care and improve patient experience."

Representatives from Dorset CCG will present the accounts online via a video link at 9am on September 30 and members of the public are encouraged to watch and ask questions.

For more information and to view the full report, visit https://www.dorsetccg.nhs.uk/please-join-us-on-30th-september/