SERVICE reviews and difficult cash-saving decisions face Airedale NHS Trust, its chief executive Bob Allen is warning.

He says the trust, which treats many patients from the Colne, Barnoldswick and Earby areas, is a victim of its own success - caring for more patients - particularly a 50 per cent rise in emergency admissions - without the extra resources needed to do so.

The annual report to April reveals that for the first time in its five year existence the Keighley-based trust failed to meet two of its three financial duties - overspending on routine budgets to the tune of £1.072 million.

In his review, Mr Allen says this year Airedale has contracted to cut back on work slightly, compared with 1996/7 levels.

He says the agenda for the present year would largely be one of consolidation, although there would be improvements in staffing levels on wards and in accident and emergency, to cope with the greater numbers of patients being treated. In his last annual report, chairman Peter Bell says the rush of winter emergency admissions led to the loss of surgical beds and the cancellation of operations - with loss of income for the operations, adding to spending pressures.

He says more doctors and nurses were employed, with more to come in the current year, but adds: "Unhappily a number of staff who had given loyal service were made redundant during the year because of financial pressures."

Over the same period, Burnley NHS Health Care Trust met all its spending and service targets, as revealed in its own annual report.

In recent months the Burnley Trust has reported a flow of Pendle patients previously treated by Airedale, returning to Burnley for care.

The two annual reports reveal that both trusts have cut management costs - with Burnley's costing 4.6 per cent of total income - lower than the 5.7 per cent in Airedale.

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