Responding to NHS England Chief Executive Simon Stevens’s speech this morning, Nuffield Trust Chief Executive Nigel Edwards said:
“Simon Stevens is absolutely right that the NHS simply cannot do everything that is asked of it unless more money is found, despite having made impressive efficiency savings in recent years. We are entering dangerous territory: Mr Stevens has suggested that unless more funding is found, key waiting times targets may need to be abandoned.
“Politicians need to face facts – the people that will suffer most from the current funding squeeze are patients themselves, waiting longer and longer for treatment for painful and limiting conditions.
“Mr Stevens is also right to draw the link between Brexit and the NHS. The reality is that Brexit is likely to have a profound impact on our health service. Without a deal we could be facing an exodus of clinically trained staff, disruption to supplies of medicine and equipment, and additional costs of £500m to pay for the care of returning expat pensioners. We have a duty to negotiate a Brexit deal that is in the interests of patients and NHS staff alike.”
ENDS
- Simon Stevens has been speaking at the NHS Providers conference in Birmingham. He cited a briefing on NHS funding produced today by the Nuffield Trust, the King’s Fund and the Health Foundation, available on our website here.
- The Nuffield Trust is an independent health charity. We aim to improve the quality of health care in the UK by providing evidence-based research and policy analysis and informing and generating debate.
- For any queries or to arrange an interview, please contact kirsty.ridyard@nuffieldtrust.org.uk / 0207 462 0552 or mark.dayan@nuffieldtrust.org.uk / 0207 462 0538