HEALTH services in the east of England are looking to overspend by £44million more than they had targeted, it was announced today.New figures from the region's strategic health authority (SHA) said it is forecasting an overspend of £169m for 2006/07 despite a target of £125m.

HEALTH services in the east of England are looking to overspend by £44million more than they had targeted, it was announced today.

New figures from the region's strategic health authority (SHA) said it is forecasting an overspend of £169m for 2006/07 despite a target of £125m.

Half way through the year it was predicted there would be a £150m overspend but, as figures for the end of the year are added to the books, the overspend has increased.

Steve Clarke, director of finance for the SHA, said: All NHS bodies are working to deliver further savings in the final part of the financial year to seek to drive expenditure down.”

The authority's own expenditure, on administration and workforce, is expected to be under its target.

However, it is responsible for the management of finances at all the area's NHS bodies, including Ipswich Hospital, the East of England Ambulance Service and the Suffolk Primary Care Trust.

The trusts in the east currently have a combined debt of around £230m.

The Suffolk PCT said it has underspent by £4.6m in the financial year, but when you add on its historic debt it is showing a £30.9m overspend - £12.2m more than its target set at the start of the year but a £4.5m improvement on last year.

Ipswich Hospital is showing a £14.3m overspend, £2.8m above its target, and the ambulance trust is running on target at £1.6m in the black.

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