01.10.14
NHS funding a ‘political choice’ – reaction to Hunt’s speech
Health secretary Jeremy Hunt pledged to extend GP access and give patients access to their GP records in his speech to the Conservative Party Conference yesterday, but made no commitments on NHS funding.
PM David Cameron is expected to guarantee in his speech today that a new Tory government would ensure above-inflation NHS budget rises for five years.
Speaking for just over 20 minutes, Hunt accused the Labour party of using the NHS to “divide” people and of turning it into a “national political football” before laying out his plans for the health service.
Hunt echoed Monday’s speech by the chancellor, George Osborne, by saying that a strong NHS is reliant on a “strong economy”.
Responding to the lack of specifics on funding in the health secretary’s speech, Rob Webster, chief executive of the NHS Confederation said: “Despite making a link between the economy and healthcare spending, Mr Hunt gave no indication of the level of expenditure on the NHS in the future. The level of funding is a political choice. Without clarity on this, we will not make the significant changes that are required in care delivery. We need politicians, the public and the NHS to have an honest, informed debate about funding for health and care services in the country, for now and the future."
However Webster did welcome Hunt’s commitment to increased transparency, saying that it would make it easier for people to take responsibility for their own health and care. A central part of this plan is giving people access to their own GP records, which the health secretary has promised to do by April.
He also echoed the prime minister’s pledge to extend GP opening hours.
Other areas of the health secretary’s speech were better received. The health and social care charity, National Voices, was cautiously optimistic about Hunt’s emphasis on the importance of personalised care.
“We welcome Jeremy Hunt’s emphasis on the importance of personalised care and people being in control,” said chief executive Jeremy Taylor. “The steps that he mentioned, including greater continuity of care and access to records, should help. It is really important that they are not implemented in a top down, one size fits all way. They also need to be part of a broader package of measures, especially for those with long term conditions and disabilities, including education and support for self management, training for professionals in person centred care and better engagement of communities and voluntary organisations.”
Hunt also went on to make mention dementia, calling it “one of the most terrifying conditions of all” and underlined actions taken so far to tackle the condition. Alzheimer’s Research UK was happy to see the condition highlighted as a priority, but stressed that it is “important that we see sustained, long-term investment in research if we are to tackle this crisis head on”.
(Image: c. Isabel Infantes/EMPICS Entertainment)
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