30.11.17
Just 3% of senior health leaders think Budget will make a positive difference
Only 3% of bosses in the health sector think that chancellor Philip Hammond’s Autumn Budget will actually enable them to provide good care in the future.
The damning survey conducted by NHS Confederation asked 107 health care leaders: “How much of a difference will today’s Budget make to your organisation’s ability to give good care?”
Around half said it would make a ‘small improvement,’ while 47% said no improvement would be gained at all.
“The fact that nearly every senior leader in the NHS felt that the Budget will make little or no difference says it all,” said Niall Dickson, chief executive of NHS Confederation. “We gathered together the largest coalition of doctors, patients, carers, voluntary groups as well as our NHS organisations and social care partners to plead with the chancellor to take a bold step – no such step was taken.
“History tells us that the NHS needs around 4% a year above inflation just to keep up with demographic and technological demand. Today we are facing major challenges in both of these areas.”
Dickson added that health ministers and NHS England officials did their best to make the case to the Treasury, but achieved “limited success.”
“The lack of adequate funding for both health and social care remains one of the great social issues of this time – and patients and those who rely on social care are suffering every day as a result,” he continued.
“We cannot go on staggering from year to year. We need a grown up and honest debate about the long-term funding needs of both the NHS and social care.”
Top Image: Peter Byrne PA Wire