EVERYONE is confused by the Government's statements minimising NHS deficits.

Until now trusts foreseeing a year-end deficit have been able to borrow money from other trusts to conceal their deficit. For the first time the year 2004-5 ended with an overall NHS deficit of £250 million and so this year-end brokerage became difficult.

Then halfway through the year just ended (2005-6) the shock forecast of a deficit of over £600 million appeared. This rightly led to a Government edict that all trusts must achieve balance by March 2007.

This is difficult without staff cuts for many trusts that, until now, have not had to declare their true deficits.

This is borne out by the scale of savings that many trusts have to make to achieve balance. As about 75 per cent of revenue of a trust is consumed by pay costs, it is inevitable that staffing levels will be affected when major economies have to be made, hence the job cuts threatened around the country.

Where has all the extra money given to the NHS gone? I believe the Government underestimated the costs of new staff pay structures, new contracts for GPs, consultants and pharmacy services. Also the costs of private sector involvement, new drugs appraised by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence and pensions have exceeded forecasts.

Thus there is little if any new money left for offsetting deficits or for paying for the extra nurses and doctors trained or for achieving the target for waiting time until treatment.

Perhaps there are examples of bad management in trusts but I believe the Department of Health is largely to blame for incompetent handling of so many issues and repeated knee jerk reactions with untested reforms that further increase expense and distract NHS staff from their main aim of caring for patients.

I believe the Chancellor recognised this by his scant mention of the NHS in the Budget.

On a more cheerful note Smoke-Free Wyre Forest has presented the first Be Heart Smart Business Award to the West Midland Safari Park in recognition of their commitment to promote fitness to all staff and a smoke-free workplace, also to support young sporting champions in the community.

We can expect two lovely Rosebuds at the Kidderminster Carnival on June 24 as we saw 40 delightful young ladies from whom we had to select just two.

I wish we could have a huge carriage to accommodate all 40 as, inevitably, there were so many equally deserving that had to be disappointed.

I can heartily recommend Stourport Choral and Operatic Society's stunning performance of the exciting musical melodrama Jekyll and Hyde by Bricusse and Wildhorn.

Claire (Worboys) Darby's direction of a super cast and chorus was brilliant, as was her own performance. Jonathan Darby's title role was a tour-de-force. Tickets for Friday and Saturday are available on 01299 896456.