Commenting on the Budget announcement, Dr Mumtaz Patel,
acting as president of the Royal College of Physicians, said:
“We welcome the investment in the NHS and the nation's health
announced in today's Budget. The £22.6 billion in additional NHS
funding by 2025-26 to improve appointment access and reduce
waiting times, as well as capital investments in diagnostics is
welcome, but continued investment will be required to make
improvements to outdated estates and care delivery.
“While this funding will provide some support for the healthcare
system, staff capacity will continue to be a challenge - our
workforce is already tired and working more than they're
contracted. To “fix the NHS”, there needs to be transformation in
the way health and care services are delivered. The forthcoming
10-year plan for the NHS is a critical opportunity to consider
how we can best use the resources we have effectively and ensure
patients can benefit from sustained change and improvements.
“It is also welcome to see the government's promised shift to
move from a treatment-led to a prevention-led approach in today's
announcements. Particularly encouraging are the measures put
forward to address social determinants of health such as obesity,
tobacco and alcohol. These are key campaign issues for our
members and we are pleased to see government spotlight them.
“The commitment of over £2 billion from the government for health
research and development in the UK will provide a significant
boost to the UK's life sciences sector and could prove
transformative in advancing patient care.
“The increase to the Soft Drinks Industry Levy over the next five
years and a review of sugar thresholds are positive steps toward
reducing obesity. The Vaping Products Duty will seek to
discourage non-smokers and children from vaping, while the
simultaneous one-off increase in Tobacco Duty will ensure that
the price still acts as an incentive for vaping to remain an
effective tobacco cessation tool for adult smokers.
“We also welcome the 10% increase in duty on hand-rolled tobacco
but would like to see equitable pricing between hand-rolled and
manufactured cigarettes as quickly as possible.”
