Responding to the news that, if elected, a Conservative Government would provide a minimum of £8bn per year for the NHS in England by 2020, Nuffield Trust Chief Executive Nigel Edwards said:
Today’s announcement by the Prime Minister and Chancellor is welcome recognition that the health service needs significant extra money simply to stand still.
Nigel Edwards, Nuffield Trust
“Back in July we warned that the NHS was heading for a funding crisis. Today’s announcement by the Prime Minister and Chancellor is welcome recognition that the health service needs significant extra money simply to stand still.
“It is also a big vote of confidence in the five-year plan that the NHS itself has come up with to transform healthcare services for the future.
“But prioritising the NHS in this way means taking difficult decisions about spending on other public services, including social care, which has seen deep cuts since 2010.
“What’s more, running to stand still is all that an additional £8bn – coupled with £22bn of efficiency savings – will allow. These figures are based on keeping the amount of NHS funding flat for each person in the population, taking into account their age and healthcare needs.
“This means that, even if the NHS can climb the mountain ahead and achieve unprecedented levels of efficiency savings, finding the money needed for a number of very expensive new drugs and treatments in the pipeline will be extremely difficult.”