RCSEd President Welcomes Announcement of Proposed £20bn for the NHS but Fears it is Only the Bare Maintenance Minimum
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Following the Government's announcement of a proposed £20bn annual real term increase in NHS funding in England by 2023-24, Professor Michael Lavelle Jones, President of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh said:
“The announcement that the NHS will receive an average 3.4% yearly increase in NHS funding over the next five years is a significant step forward and a welcome response to the huge pressures the service continues to work under.
“However, we do share the concerns expressed by a range of independent commentators, such as the Institute of Fiscal Studies, Kings Fund, Health Foundation and Nuffield Trust, that this represents the bare minimum that the NHS needs to stabilise its performance and maintain the current level of services.
“As the announcement does not appear to cover important areas such as funding for training, capital improvements, public health and social care, we are unsure whether it will be enough to allow the NHS to expand its workforce and tackle some of the causes of poor staff morale to make much needed changes such as integrated care and preventative health.
“That’s why The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, along with the Federation of Surgical Speciality Associations and the other surgical Royal Colleges, are calling for an open and honest debate on the NHS as it approaches its 70th year. Only through this can we ensure that the NHS can continue to provide high quality care and meet the many challenges it faces.”
