A hospital trust is spending money it can't afford to treat patients at weekends or in the evenings.
East Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust - which runs the Conquest Hospital in St Leonards and Eastbourne District General Hospital - is paying out an average of £1.5 million a month on running extra clinics and surgeries because of a combination of staff shortages and a surge in patients.
It has also been sending patients needing orthopaedic operations to private hospitals including the Horder Centre in Crowborough.
Managers warn unless they take action now, the bill for the extra services could be as high as £18 million by the end of next March.
The trust already has to save £17 million this year to keep its finances under control but has only managed to pinpoint £12 million of cuts so far.
Managers hope cutting back on the extra clinics and sending patients elsewhere for treatment will help contribute towards the shortfall.
In a message to staff, chief executive Darren Grayson said a decision on how to balance the books needed to be made over the next few weeks.
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