NHS funds must be improved, committee warns

The Health Select Committee has warned that the government’s claim that it is allocating an extra £10 billion to the NHS over the next five years is incorrect and has called for more money to alleviate financial pressures.

The group of MPs cited that the figure was closer to £4.5 billion and has highlighted that more NHS funding should be announced in November’s Autumn Statement.

The news comes after the Committee has been ‘hearing evidence over recent months on the state of NHS finances.’

Ministers have said that there will be an extra £10 million available for the NHS by 2020-21.

Dr Sarah Wollaston, chair of the committee, commented: "We are going to be seeing a far more constrained situation and certainly not what Simon Stevens [head of the NHS] asked for. In 2018/19, we will be seeing a per capita fall in funding for the NHS at a time when our demographics [are showing] an increase in our older people.

"The shift from other departments, for example public health, education and training, all the measures we want to put in place to make the NHS sustainable in the long term, are coming under enormous pressure."

She added: “The point is that I think the government needs to actually look at the demand pressures in the NHS and social care, which are very unlike other departments.”

We really do need some clarity and, if there isn't anymore money, then to have an honest discussion about what that means for patient care. I think that is what people would like to see."

Richard Murray, from think tank the King's Fund, said: "The most urgent priority for the Autumn Statement is to increase funding for social care.

"Years of budget cuts have had a significant impact on older people, their families and carers and are exacerbating pressures on the NHS, with record numbers of patients who are fit to be discharged but delayed in hospital."

He added: "It is no longer credible to argue that the NHS can continue to meet demand for services and deliver current standards of care at the same time as staying within its budget."

A government spokesman has argued that there would be a ‘£10 billion real-terms increase in its annual funding by 2020-21, for hospitals, GPs, and mental health services. It is wrong to suggest otherwise.

They said: ”We have also allowed local government to increase social care spending in the years to 2020, with access to up to £3.5 billion of new support by then."