A HOSPITAL trust is battling to balance the books as it copes with increased demand from patients and staff shortages.

Western Sussex Hospitals NHS trust is forecasting a deficit of more than £6 million by the end of March.

It had planned to be reporting a small surplus.

The trust is one of scores across the country to be struggling financially, with the NHS as a hole forecasting a deficit of more than £2 billion this year.

Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust has a forecast of £37 million while East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust has a planned deficit of more than £35 million.

Western Sussex Hospitals bosses have said they have had to increase bed numbers over recent months to cope with an increased demand for services while trying to fill nursing vacancies at the same time.

This has led to the need for extra expensive agency nurses to provide cover for shifts on wards and in operating theatres.

The trust had planned to spend about £6.5 million on agency workers since April, but the actual figure has been more than £16 million.

There is currently a shortage of nurses nationally and the trust has been recruiting both in the UK and abroad to find more staff to help cut agency costs.

Trust director of finance Karen Geoghegan said: “For the past five years we have delivered surpluses, while continuing to invest in patient services, facilities and staff to provide high quality safe care.

“Our commitment to patient safety, combined with ever-increasing demands on services has meant that more has been spent on agency staff recently.

“However, we are working hard to recruit and train permanent staff across our wards, theatres and other clinical areas.

“This includes running regular “one stop” recruitment events at our hospitals and offering roles to more than 170 trained nurses from Europe and the Philippines.

“Our staff will also deliver nearly £17 million of efficiency savings this financial year and we are committed to limiting any deficit, within the context of ever-increasing demands for hospital services.”