Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the operating deficit for the Mid and South Essex Hospitals NHS Trust for financial years (a) 2023-24, (b) 2024-25 and (c) 2025-26.

Trusts report their deficit position in their board reports, which are published on their websites. In 2023/24, the Mid and South Essex Foundation Trust reported an operating deficit of £29.7 million, resulting in the organisation being placed into the National Recovery Support Programme to receive support for improving its financial position.

The 2024/25 financial plan for the foundation trust was a deficit of £84.6 million, for which the organisation has received deficit support funding from NHS England. Following receipt of this funding, the foundation trust is forecast to breakeven, although this requires the trust to deliver improved positions in the final months of the year, as there is a year-to-date deficit at month seven of £23.1 million, according to their latest board report.

NHS England recently published 2025/6 Planning Guidance to support system financial planning for 2025/26. Finalised system financial plans for 2025/26 are currently being developed ahead of the start of the financial year, and so are not yet available.