HEALTH care commissioners for Blackburn with Darwen have warned that they are already facing an £840,000 overspend for 2014-15.

And a report for board members at Blackburn with Darwen Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has observed it is predicted this could rise to £2.45million by the end of the financial year.

Board members have been told that this mainly due to emergency admissions at the Royal Blackburn Hospital, elective surgery and having to pay for more bed days than expected.

The CCG has been informed that discussions are ongoing to reduce the number of ‘non-elective’ admissions to the hospital over the course of the rest of the year.

Primary care services, such as health centre and community facilities, are reporting a £141,000 underspend, which is predicted to rise to £404,000 by the end of March.

One third of anticipated savings targets have also been achieved for the CCG by the end of July.