BMA argues that STP savings are ‘unrealistic’

A review of England’s 44 sustainability and transformation plans (STPs), led by the British Medical Association (BMA), has found that claims to save £26 billion are unrealistic.

The review finds that most STPs claim costs will be cut by moving NHS services out of hospitals, but the BMA argues that many savings plans depend on securing large sums of upfront capital cash, which is a demand that the NHS admits it cannot meet.

STPs are being drawn up for 44 areas of England by health and council officials, with Mark Porter, BMA council chair, saying that the details uncovered by the review serves as further evidence that STPs were ‘aspirational to say the least’, with the majority of plans not providing any clarity on how GPs in their regions will be funded to take on extra work.

The review has informed that a number of councils have already publicly opposed the plans drawn up for their areas.

Porter said: “It’s hard to find anything convincing about how existing services can be provided within the heavily constrained future funding. And doctors, patients and others are discovering that where the gap is joined by reducing or eliminating services, the plans have been made without adequate or even any proper consultation. The tragedy of the unravelling plans is that the government appears to have nothing to put in their place.”