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May
Harrogate hospital trust appoints £50,000 consultants to review finances
Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust has appointed consultants to review its finances amid a “significant challenge” to balance its books.
The trust, which operates Harrogate District Hospital and Ripon Community Hospital, has commissioned multinational consultancy firm KPMG to carry out the work at a cost of £50,000.
The review, which has been commissioned with York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, comes as the trust continues to struggle with its finances and has budgeted for a deficit of £15.3 million this year.
The work will include an analysis of the hospital’s income, expenditure, cost drivers and financial controls, as well as a financial governance review.
Jonathan Coulter, chief executive at Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust.
Jonathan Coulter, chief executive of the Harrogate trust, said in a report that the consultants have also been tasked with looking at areas which can deliver “greater productivity and efficiency” to help support its cost savings programme.
A spokesperson for Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust said the aim of the review was to help to “strengthen financial oversight” at the hospital trust.
They added that the move aligns with NHS guidance, which states that trusts planning for a deficit should consider consultancy support for financial improvement.
The spokesperson said:
This work will strengthen financial oversight and support the delivery of sustainable, high-quality services.
The work has been jointly procured with York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to ensure best value, and findings are expected to be published in the coming weeks.
This approach aligns with NHS England’s 2025/26 Financial Management Expectations, Tools, Interventions and Oversight, which sets out that organisations in deficit, or planning for a deficit, should consider actions including the use of consultancy support for financial improvement.
The move to appoint KPMG comes as the trust continues to struggle with its finances.
In a report before the trust’s board on Wednesday (May 27), Mr Coulter said the hospital had a “challenging financial plan” to deliver this year.
The trust recorded a £22.6 million overspend last year and has now planned for a £15.3 million deficit in 2026/27.
It comes as Mr Coulter previously claimed the organisation was “under-resourced for the work that we do”.
Mr Coulter said the trust had a “significant cash risk” due its financial position, which has led to delays in payment to some suppliers.
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