Some health organisations in the West Midlands are struggling to keep a grip on their finances, according to the Audit Commission’s Auditors’ review of finances for 2006-07, which assesses how well resources are managed.

It also highlights areas for improvement.

Some of the organisations in the West Midlands are performing well, scoring highly in all areas, while others have struggled to get above the lowest rating.

The report involves auditors making scored judgments on the five key areas.

They are financial reporting, financial management, financial standing, internal control and value for money.

Read the full story in the Express & Star.

Some health organisations in the West Midlands are struggling to keep a grip on their finances, according to the Audit Commission’s Auditors’ review of finances for 2006-07, which assesses how well resources are managed.

It also highlights areas for improvement.

Some of the organisations in the West Midlands are performing well, scoring highly in all areas, while others have struggled to get above the lowest rating.

The report involves auditors making scored judgments on the five key areas.

They are financial reporting, financial management, financial standing, internal control and value for money.

Each section has been marked out of four, with one being the worst and four being the best.

Wolverhampton PCT scored a three in all sections apart from financial standing – how the books look at the end of the year – where it received a four.

The Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust was given an overall score of one and received the bottom grade in financial management and financial standing and twos elsewhere.

West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust received ones in its overall score, financial reporting and financial management, and twos in financial standing, internal control and value for money.

Walsall Teaching PCT got an overall score of two but received a four for financial standing, threes in financial reporting and financial management and twos in other areas.

Walsall Hospitals NHS Trust received an overall score of two but got threes in financial reporting and financial standing and twos in the other areas.

Dudley Group of Hospitals NHS Trust got threes in every area while the borough’s PCT got an overall two and got three in financial reporting and financial standing; all other areas it received two.

Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS trust, Sandwell Mental Health NHS and Social Care Trust and Sandwell PCT all got an overall score of two.

The PCT’s worst mark was one for its financial standing, and it got a two in all other areas.