THE boss of Southampton's hospitals has been summoned by city councillors to explain why his organisation is £14m in the red.

Mark Hackett, chief executive at Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust, will address the city council's health scrutiny panel about the trust's deepening financial crisis.

The meeting, due to take place on Monday evening, comes after Mr Hackett fired off a letter to the head of the local health authority, warning that things looked like going from bad to worse next year.

In the letter, which was leaked to the Daily Echo, Mr Hackett spoke about the need for radical change and increased funding, and warned cuts to patient services could be needed.

Mr Hackett, who took over at the helm of SUHT last summer, wrote that the trust board remained "extremely concerned" that the scale of the problem had not been fully recognised.

As well as updating councillors about the current financial position, Mr Hackett will speak about the trust's cost-cutting measures - and any consequences for patients and hospital staff.

Meanwhile, Hampshire County Council leader Ken Thornber has spoken out at forecasted cuts in nursing staff, hospital beds and wards across Hampshire.

Cllr Thornber said: "NHS services in Hampshire receive 17 per cent less cash from government than the average paid to the rest of the UK.

"What angers me most is we are building an extra 500 nursing home beds to replace those lost in the private sector and this number was based on the existing quantity of NHS beds available."

He added: "It is high time the government recognised the contribution we are making and, rather than penalising the people of Hampshire, it should reward them by at least fully funding the health services they have paid for out of their increased national insurance contributions over the past few years."

Last week, the Daily Echo revealed how 300 NHS jobs could be at risk and that NHS trusts which run Hampshire's hospitals, doctors' surgeries and other vital medical services were entering the new financial year more than £40m in debt.