The initial work of the KPMG turnaround teams sent in to overspending NHS organisations last week will be completed by Christmas, Lord Warner told the conference.

The two-week exercise began on December 9 with initial interviews with strategic health authority managers who oversee around 50 trusts that have the worst deficits.

Commercial and NHS experts will then interview managers at local and strategic health authority level to identify the key problems that need to be addressed. Then, in early January, teams will launch more detailed analyses of trusts' problems, together with solutions.

'The teams will support organisations, and chief executives will remain accountable for the financial performance of their organisation. Turnaround teams will be needed for around 18 months, at which time we expect the NHS to have returned to financial balance,' Lord Warner said. …