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NHS still faces funding blackhole, but patient satisfaction remains high

The NHS is facing a funding blackhole of £20-30bn by the end of the decade, but despite this patient satisfaction for the health service remains higher than ever.

These are some of the findings of the, ‘Is NHS funding in crisis?’, report from the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, which looked into the investment issues facing the NHS and found that the health sector is likely to be £20-30bn in deficit by 2020-21.

The think tank also noted that in 2015, the UK spent 7.6% of its GDP on healthcare – more than any other time in the past – but that health spending still lagged considerably behind France and Germany at 8.7% and 9.4%, respectively.

The report’s author, NIESR director Professor Peter Dolton stated that taxes would need to rise or public spending would have to increase at the expense of other public services if service delivery was to be maintained sustainably.

Another key finding in the report was that much of the public would not support an increase in income tax as suggested by the Lib Dems in their manifesto. 

“The evidence that there is suggests that patient satisfaction with the NHS is higher than it has ever been,” the document read. “The biggest problems patients have with the NHS are that it takes too long to get a GP appointment and that there are not enough staff or resources in the NHS.”

But the report concluded by reassuring the public, “it is not all doom and gloom”.

“Our NHS has faced severe challenges in the past and come through. By way of a contextual conclusion we should maybe leave the final sentiments to Kenneth Arrow the Nobel Prize winner. ‘The NHS has stood out as the cost-effective system achieving a good health standard. I am so surprised that a country that has contained its costs and achieved such good health care should be so worried’.”

Prof Dolton added that it is regrettable than the major political parties seem unwillingly to acknowledge the extent of the NHS funding problem. 

“As voters, we are encouraged to believe the NHS is safe will each of the parties in this upcoming election, but it is an urgent requirement that they all honestly embrace the financial challenges facing the NHS in the next five years,” he concluded.

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