Health chiefs said there are a number of financial pressures

A BBC news website survey of NHS trusts in the county found many reporting a deficit and describing a very difficult challenge for this financial year.

Among the pressures reported have been paying for agency medical locums, nurse staffing and drug expenditure.

Some expect to break even by the end of March and say the deficits are relative to multi-million pound budgets.

Morecambe Bay Hospital NHS Trust said this year had been anticipated to be a difficult one financially and at the end of November reported a deficit of �4.85m.

It operates the Furness General Hospital in Barrow, the Westmorland General Hospital in Kendal, both in Cumbria, and the Royal Lancaster Infirmary. It also provides services at Ulverston Hospital and Queen Victoria in Morecambe.

Trusts have reported a difficult financial year

It has approved a recovery plan and measures being considered include bed cuts and cutting management and agency staff costs.

Morecambe Bay Primary Care Trust reported a deficit of �3.38m but said a financial recovery plan is in place and the trust is expected to break even by March.

The trust, which provides healthcare in South Cumbria and Lancashire, has brought in measures to achieve that including a virtual freeze on recruitment and is looking at the future of a couple of units at Westmoreland General Hospital.

North Cumbria Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, which manages the Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle and the West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven, was �1.4m overspent against planned budgets at the end of October 2005.

It said it had taken steps to prevent unnecessary expenditure in non-clinical areas.

Efficient operating

Cumbria Ambulance Service NHS Trust reported a deficit of �21,000 in December on an �18m budget and expects to break even in March.

North Cumbria Mental Health and Learning Disabilities NHS Trust has a deficit of �58,000, but expects to break even and said it is continuing to look at operating in the most efficient and cost-effective way.

Carlisle and District Primary Care Trust had a �108,000 overspend in October and Eden Valley Primary Care Trust a �166,000 overspend while West Cumbria Primary Care Trust was �47,000 underspent.

The overall budget for the three trusts is �221.65m and all are forecasting financial balance.