HEALTH and social care services across Argyll and Bute are still facing a £2 million budget gap in 2017-18 - despite a fresh bid to find ways to reduce spending.

And a 'reduction in activity' in acute services delivered by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde on Argyll and Bute's behalf will be the focus of further attempts to balance the budget.

The integrated joint board (IJB) which oversees the work of the Argyll and Bute health and social care partnership will be presented with an updated report on the partnership's budget gap when it meets next week.

The IJB agreed in March to approve a programme of service changes aimed at bridging part of a budget gap estimated at £20 million over the next two years.

But those service changes did not go far enough in themselves to plug the gap completely, and the board agreed to wait for a further two months to enable a list of additional measures to be compiled.

The remaining budget gap is now estimated at £2m in 2017-18 and a further £4.1m in 2018-19 - down from previous estimates of £2.8m and £5.6m respectively.

The board's chief financial officer, Caroline Whyte, says in an updated report: "Services have not been able to develop plans to produce a balanced budget for 2017-18.

"A realistic approach has been taken to what services have confidence in being deliverable in 2017-18 and it has been particularly difficult to identify service changes in the timescale that would be in line with the strategic objectives and priorities of the IJB."

Ms Whyte's report refers to "ongoing negotiations with Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board to agree the SLA [service level agreement] value for acute health services", and states: "GG&C are aware of the commissioning intentions of the health and social care partnership and that there is a plan to achieve financial savings from a reduction in activity."

Ms Whyte's report says that the board also plans to implement further "ongoing efficiency savings" to plug the rest of that £2m gap, and states: "Services will be supported to deploy tight financial management controls to identify opportunities on an ongoing basis to bridge this gap."

The board will meet in Lochgilphead on Wednesday, May 31.

A spokesman for the Argyll and Bute health and social care partnership said: "The IJB is continuing to face significant financial challenges due to the rising demand for health and social care services and the pace of change required to deliver on the local and national priorities.  

"An updated position in relation to the remaining budget gap will be presented to the IJB at its meeting next week."