I find figures and balance sheets difficult to understand at the best of times and PCT figures always baffle me.

Last week I read the headline, “Wiltshire NHS is forced to cut £34m” and according to the Gazette & Herald report, “NHS Wiltshire is still paying off debt run up by its predecessor primary care trusts”. It goes on to state “By the end of this month the PCT will have repaid £48.5m of the £61.4m debt it inherited in 2007/8”.

This isn’t just déjà vu I’m feeling but a full-blown Dr Who-style time warp experience.

I’m a bit of a nerd when it comes to keeping newspaper clippings – but sometimes they are useful.

Take one from May 29 2008 with a headline of “Crisis torn health trust now debt free”, also from the Gazette & Herald.

It was reported the remainder of the debt the trust inherited was written off by the Strategic Health Authority (SHA). That, I believe, was a little pat on the back for doing so well – or perhaps that should read, for closing down so much in such a short space of time? In 2008, John Williams, the retiring financial director, had saved £35 million and repaid historic debts of £43.8 million. As a result the SHA wrote off the remaining debts of £40.8 million, ending the financial year of 2007/8 with an underspend of £256. Mr Williams said: “Our agenda is now about strategies for health, not crisis monitoring, but we have still got to make sure we stay in balance”. All quotes are from your newspaper.

I am now very confused. Has the financial position been wrongly reported, because I rather doubt the PCT are paying the same debt twice? Can someone enlighten us all please?

Val Compton, Kennet Place, Marlborough.