Government NHS funding claims untrue

The government must ‘shoulder responsibility for the consequences’ of the dwindling funding given to the NHS, says Brent.

Keith Brent, BMA consultants committee chair, told the BMA UK consultants conference that Prime Minister Theresa May’s claims to have ‘fully funded’ the health service do not ring true on the front line.

He also spoke about the need for consultants to stick together, ‘united by our professionalism’, and show unity in the face of increasing demand.

Brent said: “It does not ring true to doctors on the frontline to hear politicians say that the NHS has received the money it asked for. Simply repeating a statement umpteen times does not give us the resources to care for patients in the way they expect and deserve.

“How can it be said that funding is sufficient when we have reports of surgeons across a whole region being told that they cannot carry out any non-urgent operations until the next financial year? Those operations may not be considered urgent by the bean-counters but to each and every patient and their families that is weeks or even months of extra pain and disability.”