MORE than 400 new doctors and nurses were drafted in as Basildon Hospital fought to turn around its fortunes.

The huge recruitment programme has contributed to the hospital much better ratings from health watchdogs.

However it has come at a cost with the hospital now predicting a deficit of £38.8million for the 2015/2016 financial year.

This surpasses the £23.5million loss recorded in 2014/2015.

Between 2012 and 2014 the hospital hired 200 extra nurses, 50 doctors and over 150 other clinical staff as part of its successful attempt to have sanctions on its licence removed by Monitor.

Many of the nurses were brought over from Spain and the Philippines, and chief executive Clare Panniker admits there is still a reliance on agency staff.

She said: “When you look across the whole of the NHS there’s financial pressure everywhere.

There is increased demand for services, but no extra money coming in.

“We are doing our best. We are in for a big deficit, but we’re working to see if we can reduce it.

“We have got to have the right number of qualified staff, and I’m not prepared to compromise on the care of our patients.”

Mrs Panniker is set to meet with health regulator Monitor later this month to work on a new action plan to bring down the debt.

In March, Basildon Hospital received a Government bail-out to help cover its running costs.

An independent review by accountants Grant Thornton, which was a condition of the bail-out being granted, identified “significant shortcomings”

in the way the trust’s finances are administered.

An overall deficit of £9.4million has been recorded in the first three months of the current financial year.

A spokesman for Basildon Hospital added: “This is in line with the financial plan submitted to Monitor.

“However, our projected deficit for the end of the financial year could improve as we start to deliver even more savings and seek to improve our income.

“We are working hard to reduce our deficit by looking at ways to generate more income and reduce our spending.

“We have worked incredibly hard to improve the quality of care we deliver to our patients.

“The trust is absolutely clear our plans to address our financial position will not have any adverse impact on the experience of our patients.”

Last week, a Monitor representative started working for one day per week at the trust in the role of financial improvement director.

A Monitor spokesman said: “We are continuing to work closely with the trust to ensure it deals with its financial issues and continues to provide its patients with the quality care they deserve.

“We will continue to scrutinise the trust’s progress.”

LONG ROAD TO RECOVERY

BASILDON was one of 14 failing hospitals to be put into special measures by Monitor in July 2013, due to concerns about standards of care and high death rates.

Its failings first came to light with a damning Care Quality Commission report in 2009.

It was announced it had one of highest death rates in the country between 2007 and 2009, and a task force had to go in to improve filthy conditions.

As part of a report by Robert Francis into the scandal-hit Staffordshire Hospital, Basildon came under fire once again in February 2013.

By this time Clare Panniker was five months into her role as chief executive.

The Government ordered the Keogh Review which saw a team of medical experts descend on 14 trusts to investigate problems and highlight action needed.

Sir Bruce Keogh, the NHS’s medical director, discovered 1,600 needless deaths at Basildon Hospital between 2005 and 2012, serious errors and lack of care and compassion from staff.

Two months after being put into special measures, the Department of Health confirmed it would be partnered up with the Royal Free in London to turn its fortunes around.

Fast forward two years, and Basildon is now helping Colchester Hospital made improvements as it prepares for a CQC inspection.