TENS of millions of pounds has been added to the budget of the NHS in Dorset this year.

The clinical commissioning group (CCG) in the county has been allocated more than £65 million extra compared to last year.

Despite this, a report to its board says it is still “challenging” for a “viable” budget for the year to be produced.

Although the allocated funding for health services in Dorset has risen from £1.17 billion to £1.24 billion, the CCG says almost £25 million of the increase was money it had previously received on a non-recurrent basis.

This includes pay increases which have added almost £11 million to its salary spending this year.

A report to the CCG’s board meeting on Wednesday (May 15) says the “real” increase is £33 million – equivalent to an increase of about 3.2 per cent.

The NHS in Dorset is still facing a funding gap of just under £30 million which it says could be partly “bridged” including stretching requirements of existing cost-cutting work.

A report by the CCG’s assistant director of finance, Michael Gravelle, says that, despite the increase in funding, it was still difficult to put together a budget for this year.

“Dorset CCG has received a significant recurrent funding uplift for 2019/20,” it says.

“Although this isn’t all new money … it delivers an opportunity to invest in primary care, mental health services and acute trusts.”

It adds: “However, achieving a viable opening budget and agreeing funding across the system has proved challenging.”

The planned budget for the CCG this year is more than £1.2 billion with about half of this spent on acute services, including A&E work.

Included is a £5 million fund aimed at reducing waiting lists, improving cancer treatment standards.

Mental health spending will be increase by the required 6.2 per cent, which equates to £7.5 million this year.

Forecasted NHS spending in Dorset last year showed a prediction that it would be almost £8 million overbudget in the 2018/19 financial year.

Members of the CCG board will consider the budget at the meeting on Wednesday.