Commenting on the discussion on the budget implications for the NHS at the NHS England Board meeting today, Nuffield Trust Chief Economist Prof John Appleby said:
“It is clear from today’s board meeting that the big question emerging from last week’s Budget is how far waiting lists for routine operations like hip and knee replacements are allowed to grow in order to preserve and improve other services like A&E and cancer care.
“With the NHS under severe financial pressure – and, as NHS England acknowledges, already spending money it doesn’t have to keep the show on the road – today’s meeting puts down a clear marker that something will have to give. As we and the other health think tanks have warned, the budget settlement fills around just half of the funding gap for next year.”
Notes to editors
- In the run up to the Budget, the Nuffield Trust, The King’s Fund and the Health foundation produced a briefing showing that at least £4bn extra was needed for the NHS next year.
- This week the three think tanks updated this briefing showing what the Autumn Budget now means for the NHS and social care. You can read the briefing here.