The financial performance of the Hawke's Bay DHB is being monitored more closely in coming months with a predicted surplus of $5 million for the year ending June now likely to be less.
The DHB board is holding its monthly meeting tomorrow, and in a report executive director of corporate services Tim Evans said a $1.2 million adverse result predicted in February had increased to $1.8 million by the end of March.
This had led to the $5 million surplus forecast being downgraded to $4.5 million, a target that would still be difficult to achieve, he said.
Chief executive Dr Kevin Snee said that the $4.5 million included $1 million the DHB was hoping to receive from the Ministry of Health to support the costs of the gastroenteritis outbreak in Havelock North.
He said it was not an acceptable performance but noted that this financial year would be the seventh year in surplus for Hawke's Bay, a unique position among the country's DHBs.