Over a third of trusts in England face financial difficulties

The National Audit Office has said that by the end of the third quarter of 1996-7, 168 of the 433 trusts in England faced financial difficulties, which were serious in 47 cases. This is a rise on 1995-6, when 95 trusts had difficulties, which were serious in 26 cases.

At the same time 36 out of 100 health authorities were forecasting deficits of more than £1m ($1.6m) at the end of 1996-7, compared with 15 at the end of 1995-6.

The reasons for the …