15.06.16
NHS Confederation head to oppose Brexit at conference
The opening speech at the annual NHS Confederation conference will warn that leaving the EU would put the NHS in danger.
In his opening address at 1.15pm today Stephen Dorrell, chair of the NHS Confederation, is expected to say that leaving the EU will lead to funding cuts to the NHS at a time when it is already struggling to balance its funding and needs more income.
Most experts, including the Institute for Fiscal Studies, predict that leaving the EU will lead to a reduction in national income and economic growth.
Dorrell said: “Health and care services are a vital part of a growing, wealth creating economy. We need to invest in building a sustainable society where we help people stay well, focusing on health and care in a place, rather than single institutions working in silos. Securing the necessary funding will be important for achieving our vision.
“We need a strong economy to guarantee the growth in funding that the health and care service requires and evidence suggests leaving the EU would undermine this.”
Dorrell joins Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England, in voicing his opposition to leaving the EU.
Dr Sarah Wollaston MP, chair of the Health Committee, announced last week that she was switching sides to the Remain campaign because she was concerned about the impact of leaving the EU on the NHS. She added that the Leave campaign’s claims that leaving the EU will release £350m funding every week for the NHS were untrue.
The latest poll, from research company TNS, found 47% of voters saying they would support leaving the EU, against 40% saying they would vote to stay and 13% saying they were undecided.
The NHS Confederation conference, taking place over the next three days at Manchester Central, will look at what must be done to secure a sustainable health and social care settlement at a time when 67% of NHS providers are in deficit and the overall deficit could hit £16bn by 2020.
In his speech, Dorrell will also argue that NHS providers should focus on “outcomes, rather than activity”.
NHE will provide full coverage of the talks and discussions throughout the conference.
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