Today the government announced its financial settlement for the NHS for the next five years. Total spending will rise from £115 bn last year to £148bn in 2023-24, representing a 3.4% real increase each year.
The government wishes in particular to improve early cancer diagnosis, to improve mental health services, increase funding to ensure better quality care in the community, allow GP surgeries to expand, and improve maternity services. The NHS will have more money for introducing digital technology, personal healthcare budgets and more prevention measures.
I will be following up with the government over our local share of this welcome boost to NHS budgets. We do need to expand our local health capacity and make sure local health professionals have the budgets they need to provide a good quality service.
January 7, 2019
Some welcome news but given the fast growing population now living in our area, we need a vastly improved settlement to include for in such population increases.
January 8, 2019
This is political spending of the worst kind. Throwing money at a backward organisation hoping for political brownie points. How easy it is for governments to spend other peoples money hoping for political advantage
When does NHS reform start or would that be political suicide? Much easier to throw cash down the drain. Using our taxes to finance a political strategy.
Higher NHS spending is a reflection not of compassion but of political cowardice
January 8, 2019
Sir John,
Just where is this extra money coming from?
The NHS is not underfunded: it’s catastrophically mismanaged on a biblical scale.