For the current financial year Wirral Hospital (NHS) Trust was allocated around £178 million of public funding. Of this allocated money £171 Million is revenue and £7 million is capital funding.

Most revenue funds are provided by commissioning Primary Care Trusts (PCTs). The main ones for Wirral Hospital being: Bebington & West Wirral PCT, Birkenhead & Wallasey PCT, and Ellesmere Port & Neston PCT.

Details of the Trust's capital expenditure in 2003 / 2004 can be found in the minutes of the Finance and Planning Sub-Committee and Class 4 outlines how to obtain a copy.

The Director of Finance* has corporate responsibility for the oversight of the Trust's finances.

The Finance and Planning Sub-Committee of the Trust Board receives regular updates on the financial position of the organisation and makes recommendations to the Trust Board in regard to the allocation of these resources. The Trust Board receives minutes of this Sub-Committee and a bi-monthly Finance and Performance Report. This report summarises the current performance of the Trust in the key performance areas of finance, activity and waiting lists.

The Operational Budgets for the Trust are agreed annually by both the Trust Board and the Hospital Council. A budget booklet is produced annually by the end of July and is available from the Senior Assistant Director of Finance*.

It is a key target, set by the Department of Health, for the Trust to achieve financial balance by the end of each financial year. The Annual Accounts for the current financial year will be available in September. The Summary Financial Accounts for the last financial year are available as part of the Trust's Annual Report, which is available on our website at www.wirralhealth.org.uk or in hard copy from the Publication Scheme Co-ordinator*. A full set of the last financial year's Annual Accounts is available on request. To obtain a copy please contact the Business / Financial Accountant*.

Charitable Funds
The Trust holds charitable funds with a current value of approximately £1million. To receive a copy of the last financial year's Annual Accounts for these funds, please contact the Business / Financial Accountant*.

Private Income
The income raised from private work amounts to £1.3 Million and it is used to support general expenditure on NHS patients.

Audit
The Trust has both internal and external auditing systems in place. Internal audits are carried out by Deloitte & Touche and external audits are carried out by the Audit Commission. Further details can be obtained from the Senior Assistant Director of Finance*.

How we purchase our equipment and supplies
The Trust follows the guidance established by the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency (PASA), whose website can be found at www.pasa.doh.gov.uk. The PASA guidance sets out standard terms and conditions that NHS organisations should follow in regard to purchasing equipment and supplies. In the NHS we refer to this as procurement. Procurement is dealt with within the Facilities Management Directorate by our Head of Supplies and Procurement*, with support from the Finance Directorate.

The Trust has a Procurement Strategy, which was approved by the Trust Board in January 2000. A copy of this Strategy is available from the Head of Supplies and Procurement* and forms the basis of an Annual Workplan. The Trust will advertise tenders for goods and services worth over £100,410 through the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU). The website for OJEU is www.ojeu.com. Wirral Hospital Trust invites tenders for a variety of reasons, including building and engineering works, supplies and services. All tenders are sought and awarded in accordance with the Trust's standing financial instructions and OJEU procedures. Examples of the type of tenders that have been sought since January 2003 can be seen below.