Responding to the Budget statement, the chief executive of NHS
Providers, Sir Hartley said:
“The chancellor had a key opportunity to put NHS finances back on
track today after a year in which high inflation, disruptive
industrial action, and rising demand for care have left gaping
holes in trust budgets. After dire warnings of NHS spending cuts
earlier this week, today’s announcement of an extra £2.5bn for
day-to-day NHS spending will offer much needed - but temporary -
respite from these financial pressures.
“Leaders across the NHS want nothing more than to provide
high-quality patient care and improved services.
“But to do this, they need to see long-term, multi-year
investment in the health service which allows health leaders to
plan for the future instead of this stop-start approach to NHS
funding which leaves them constantly worrying about budget cuts
followed by quick-fix, short-term funding announcements.
“They will be pleased though, that the chancellor has finally
heard their calls for more investment in digital and technology
in the NHS, which has the potential to transform healthcare for
patients, improve access to services and free up staff time.
“Trust leaders and their teams are pulling out all the stops to
ramp up NHS productivity and today’s £3.4bn investment will give
them a much-needed boost.
“But they also need politicians from all parties to recognise
overstretched staff are already working incredibly hard to treat
patients with increasingly complex conditions within existing
resources and in the face of relentless demand.
“We also need to see a boost in capital investment alongside
wider access to strategic capital investment across acute,
specialist, mental health, ambulance and community services to
fix the record-high maintenance backlog and the deteriorating NHS
estate in which staff are working and patients are being treated.
“Trust leaders are also acutely aware that while the Budget
offers the NHS some breathing space, their highly valued partners
across local government and social care are facing major funding
crises.
“They know that the long-term financial sustainability of the NHS
is dependent on investment in wider public services- such as
public health and social care- which are vital to improving the
public’s health and support economic productivity. It’s vital we
get public finances on a stable footing so that the public get
the health and social care services they deserve.”
