22.11.16
UK Statistics Authority to seek clarity over NHS funding promises
The government’s repeated promises of a £10bn funding increase for the NHS will be questioned by the UK Statistics Authority, following representations by MPs and the BMA.
The government has repeatedly insisted that the £10bn claim is accurate, despite overall concerns about NHS financial problems, which the National Audit Office described today as “endemic” and “unsustainable”.
Chancellor Philip Hammond recently defended the figure in response to complaints from the Health Select Committee, who argued that it is produced by backdating the start of the Spending Review period to 2014 instead of 2015, and excluding cuts to other DH services.
The UK Statistics Authority, an independent governmental body with responsibility for safeguarding the production and quality of government statistics, has now intervened.
This follows enquiries about the figure from Jonathan Ashworth, the shadow health secretary, and Dr Mark Porter, the chair of the BMA council.
In his response to their concerns, Ed Humpherson, director general for regulation at the UK Statistics Authority, said he would ask the Treasury to investigate whether it can present estimates for NHS England and total health spending separately in future.
“An issue that appears to have caused confusion is that while NHS England spending is rising, some other elements of the Department of Health budget are decreasing,” noted Humpherson.
“While the Department of Health has been open when asked about the nature of the estimated real terms increases in health spending and its split between NHS England and the Department’s overall budget, the total health spending figures are much less frequently referred to by Government and may be less readily accessible.”
In addition, he said he would work with DH officials to ensure “clarity around sources, time periods and what is being measured”.
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