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NHS trusts and primary care trusts (PCTs) in the West of England have combined debts of more than �40m, a BBC News website investigation has found.

All 31 trusts in the region - in Bristol, Somerset, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire - were contacted in January and asked what their current financial status was.

The results are below, with explanations for how some trusts came to be in that position, or measures taken to tackle any problems. Minus figures show a deficit, figures without a minus sign indicate a trust which has a surplus or is breaking even.

Several trusts who revealed debts said they expected to break even by the end of the financial year in March.

WEST OF ENGLAND HEALTH TRUST FINANCES
HEALTH TRUST	SURPLUS/ DEBT (�)	IMPACT/ EXPLANATION
Avon Ambulance NHS Trust	-145,000
Avon and Wiltshire Partnership NHS Trust	-3,500,000	Expects to clear debt by end of financial year
Bath and North East Somerset PCT	1,100,000
Bristol North PCT	1,400,000
Bristol South and West PCT	-1,000,000
Cheltenham and Tewkesbury PCT	900,000
Cotswold and Vale PCT	-4,500,000	Has been asked to accelerate pace of savings. Hopes changes to services will benefit patients through becoming more cost effective
East Somerset NHS Trust	-628,000	Expects to clear debt by end of financial year
Gloucestershire Ambulance NHS Trust	-42,000
Gloucestershire Partnership NHS Trust	1,000,000
Kennet and North Wiltshire PCT	-8,200,000	Had originally been expecting to break even
Mendip PCT	0
North Bristol NHS Trust	745,000	Had a deficit of �44m three years ago. Made savings of �20m during 2004/2005 and is aiming to do the same by end of this financial year
North Somerset PCT	-1,500,000	Expects an overspend at end of financial year, but a smaller one than was earlier feared
Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases	0
Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Trust	-4,300,000	Higher debt than previously forecast
Salisbury Healthcare NHS Trust	-450,000	Expects to clear debt by end of financial year
Somerset Coast PCT	-962,000	Expects to clear debt by end of financial year
Somerset Partnership NHS and Social Care Trust	-400,000	Expects to clear debt by end of financial year
South Gloucestershire PCT	283,000
South Somerset PCT	-180,000	Expects to clear debt by end of financial year
South Wiltshire PCT	-3,700,000	Deficit higher than previously forecast
Swindon and Marlborough NHS Trust	-1,700,000
Swindon PCT	540,000
Taunton and Somerset NHS Trust	760,000
Taunton Dean PCT	0
United Bristol Healthcare NHS Trust	-1,500,000	Expects to clear debt by end of financial year
West Gloucestershire PCT	-2,500,000
West Wiltshire PCT	-7,500,000	Says it considers risks associated with meeting the savings target it has been set to be "very high"
Weston Area NHS Trust	-4,400,000
Wiltshire Ambulance NHS Trust	69,000
TOTAL	-40,410,000