However, in the five months to August there has already been an overspend of more than £300,000.

And NHS Tayside is now steeling itself for a whopping energy bill, with the potential impact in the region of £1.5 million in the current financial year.

At the heart of that is an anticipated 90% rise in electricity prices.

In recent years, health boards across Scotland came together to negotiate what were very attractive prices for all health service establishments across the country.

Contract prices are in place until the autumn and negotiations are ongoing at a national level to determine future prices.

However, NHS chiefs are not hopeful and significant increases in costs, in particular electricity costs, are anticipated.

At a meeting of NHS Tayside’s delivery unit committee today, members admitted the energy budget for 2008/09 was set to come under significant pressure as the year develops.

Director of Finance Colin Masson said efforts were being made to get the energy saving message across to staff.

“We have been trying to impress upon our staff simple messages such as turning off lights when they are not needed,” he said.

“One of our greatest consumptions of energy arises from the use of major equipment in our hospitals.

“We have asked staff to consider whether it is required to have this equipment ‘burning’ over 24 hours.”

Despite the measures, NHS Tayside vice-chairman Murray Petrie warned difficult times are ahead.

“The measures we have been talking about here will not make a huge difference,” he said.

Referring to Murray Royal Hospital, where today’s meeting was held, he added, “We are in the process of creating new buildings here that will include many ways of conserving energy.

“However, we also inhabit Edwardian buildings and 60s buildings, built when energy was cheap. There will be hard times over the next few years. I think we have a problem coming.”