A MASTERPLAN to reduce hospital spending by millions of pounds across the area is among moves to help the cash-strapped NHS  balance its books.

Bosses within the trust that runs Furness General Hospital have now revealed they hope to save £12m before April next year in a bid to bring the organisation back into the black.

But the quality of patient care will not suffer despite the efficiencies, they have pledged, with the bulk of the savings coming from eliminating waste and clamping down on the use of expensive agency staff.

The move has seen 209 new nurses, 28 senior medical posts and 16 consultant posts recruited to vacant positions in just six months - with almost all available midwifery posts also now filled.

Foluke Ajayi, chief operating officer within the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust, said: "Like other trusts and health care organisations, we need to consistently deliver safe, high quality care at a lower cost – this is against a background of rising expectations and demand.

"Our sustainability programme is about our trust being able to implement and sustain our own effective improvement initiatives."

The money-saving drive has been dubbed the "sustainability programme" across UHMBT - the body that runs FGH - and is in addition to £11m in savings secured last year.

Senior figures within the organisation say the current £30m deficit could rocket to £70m within the next five years if spending continues at past levels.

Ms Ajayi added: "It’s incremental to what we’ve been doing over the last few years – last year our staff were able to deliver almost £11m in efficiency savings and this year we’re looking to deliver over £12m.

"High quality, effective care is efficient and efficiency brings financial benefits and, as a trust, we continue to invest in our services and continue to recruit frontline staff to reduce the need for high-cost agency staff."