DUDLEY'S MP Ian Austin has voiced concern at the news Monitor has launched an investigation into a Black Country health trust's finances.

The health sector regulator is investigating the Black Country Partnership NHS Foundation Trust after it reported a year-to-date deficit of £738,000 compared to a planned shortfall of £125,000.

Bosses at the trust say they are committed to providing excellent care for people with learning disabilities in Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton and to addressing the community healthcare needs of children, young people and families in Dudley as well as providing mental health care for adults in Sandwell and Wolverhampton.

But, they say, financial sustainability continues to be their "biggest challenge".

Ian Austin, Labour MP for Dudley North, said: “I’m really concerned that yet another local trust is facing an investigation into the state of its finances.

“It’s been a year since Russells Hall went into the red and faced an investigation into its finances and now we discover the Black Country Partnership is battling a deficit too.

"I told the Health Secretary to give the local NHS the resources it needs but nothing has changed and one in ten staff have lost their jobs.

“Nearly half of NHS trusts around the country are in the red. Local people know it’s not possible to carry on like this without an impact on care.”

Black Country Partnership bosses say they will work closely with Monitor to assist with the investigation which aims to probe further into the underlying financial risks and challenges faced and what can be done to improve the situation.

Trust chief executive Karen Dowman said: “Despite providing excellent care to our community, and having in place good standards of governance and operational performance, our financial sustainability continues to be our biggest challenge.

“Like many areas of the National Health Service, BCPFT is not alone in facing this challenge. We have already started a programme of activity to identify cost-savings and improve our financial sustainability, and to put in place safeguarding checks to ensure efficiencies do not compromise care.

“Despite the current financial position, we continue to remain focused on providing an excellent standard of care to the community we support.”

Monitor's regional director Marianne Loynes said: "No decision has been taken about whether further regulatory action is required and an announcement about the outcome of the investigation will be made in due course."