Unnecessary hospital visits, wasted medicines and Hepatitis C treatment costs have contributed to a multi-million pound overspend by NHS Tayside.
Figures for the period to November 31 showed there was a £3.7 million overspend by the health board in the first seven months of the year.
Bosses may now look to cut some community services in order to make savings, a report to its finance and resources committee reveals.
Director of finance Ian McDonald said meetings had already been held with senior officials to find savings and “stem the flow of spend”.
A review of “cost pressures across the system” will take place, while there will also be a review of bed use.
That could include “opportunities for the decommissioning of community facilities and, where possible, preventing patients coming into hospital, particularly the elderly.
According to NHS Tayside, it will also look to assess problems with drug prescribing and “high-cost” patients, with around 50% of the drugs budget “wasted” at present.
