'I'm talking years': NHS Borders boss warns there is no quick fix to £45m deficit
ITV Border's reporter Lucy Anderson interviews an NHS Borders boss on the future finances of the health board.
NHS Borders boss says they cannot commit to when waiting lists will improve, explaining there will be no quick fix to their projected £45m deficit.
Karen Hamilton, Chair of NHS Borders, tasked with the job to reduce their expected deficit, says a target for improved services will take years, not months.
The board has said closures, a recruitment freeze and reductions in service have all been considered as they continue to face significant financial issues.
She said: "I'm not going to be able to give you an exact date of how long that will be.
"It is a long-term project, it really is. I'm not talking months, I'm talking years.
"I think it will be some considerable time before we are able to do that.
"I think other initiatives may come into play around the structure and development of health services in Scotland.
"There are other things that need to happen beyond what we can do in the Borders.
"I would love to be able to say to you that we can fix it in a couple of years, but I know that we won't.
"The level of the deficit we have now is too big to be able to say that. That doesn't mean to say that we're constantly working towards it.
"The issues around waiting times and staffing is equally important to managing the waiting times. I think that's the bit that means more really and truly to the public in the Borders," she added.
Members of the public had the opportunity to hold the future direction of NHS Borders to account on 22 August 2024.
The NHS Borders Annual Review comes as the health board announced plans to cut its budget by more than 10%. The financial deficit is projected to reach £45m by March 2025.
Addressing whether the Scottish Government will have to step in to help, Ms Hamilton said: "We have no indication at the moment from the Scottish Government on how they might address that.
"We have been tasked to continue to work towards the savings target which is what we will do.
"The deficit is significant. Nobody thinks that it will be solved overnight but we constantly work towards it.
"I can say that this year we've achieved more savings than we've done in any of the previous years at this point, essentially at the end of the first quarter."
Ms Hamilton believes that regardless of the money difficulties for health services, staff shortages are an issue not just in the Scottish Borders but across the country.
She said: "Workforce is always going to be a challenge and we wouldn't deny that.
"We can only work with what we've got. Even if we had an unlimited amount of money, if we can't recruit the staff then that money is of no use.
"There other areas around recruitment of nurses, training, access to college places, which also need to be addressed beyond the health needs of people in the Borders."
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