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NHS: PM to look at 'multi-year' funding plan for health service NHS: PM to look at 'multi-year' funding plan for health service
(about 3 hours later)
Theresa May has promised a "multi-year" funding plan for the NHS in England to address its long-terms financial needs.Theresa May has promised a "multi-year" funding plan for the NHS in England to address its long-terms financial needs.
The PM said she wanted to get away from "annual top-ups" in cash and would come up with a blueprint this year to allow the NHS "to plan for the future". The PM said she wanted to get away from annual "cash top-ups" and would come up with a blueprint later this year to allow the NHS "to plan for the future".
She said the NHS faced "serious cost pressures and demands" and she wanted to build a political consensus on boosting productivity and efficiency. She said she hoped to build a political consensus on improving productivity and efficiency and reducing cost pressures.
Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England, welcomed the "timely" pledge. Labour said it welcomed any promise of extra funding from a government which had "starved" the NHS of resources.
He said the UK needed to capitalise on advances in medical care while ensuring the "great pressure" on front-line staff was alleviated. Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England, said the health service needed to capitalise on advances in medical care while ensuring the "great pressure" on front-line staff was alleviated.
On Sunday, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt called for a ten-year funding deal for the NHS, arguing this would allow proper planning to train the staff needed to cope with the challenges of Britain's ageing population. Following one of the toughest winters in recent years, more than 100 MPs have urged the PM to set up a cross-party Parliamentary Commission to address the health service's long-term financial needs.
More than 100 MPs have urged the PM to set up a cross-party Parliamentary Commission to address the health service's long-term funding needs. On Sunday, Health and Social Care Secretary Jeremy Hunt called for a 10-year funding deal, arguing this would allow proper planning to train the staff needed to cope with the challenges of an ageing population.
Appearing before the Commons Liaison Committee, Mrs May said she wanted to come up with a different approach to funding the NHS and social care in the run-up to next year's government Spending Review, based on the health service's existing five-year forward view. Appearing before the Commons Liaison Committee, Mrs May said she wanted to come up with a different approach to funding the NHS and social care in the run-up to next year's government Spending Review.
She said she wanted a dialogue with NHS workers, as well as MPs, to discuss the best way forward, suggesting the NHS could not afford to wait another year to have this conversation. She said she wanted a dialogue with clinicians and NHS workers, as well as MPs, to discuss the best way forward, based on the health service's existing five-year forward view, launched in October 2014.
'Properly resourced''Properly resourced'
Mrs May said the NHS had received an extra £10bn since 2016 but she wanted to get away from yearly cash injections, often in response to specific acute pressures. She said that while the NHS had received an extra £10bn since 2016, yearly cash injections, often in response to acute pressures, were no longer the answer.
"We need to get away from this annual approach we see to the NHS budget," she told MPs on the committee."We need to get away from this annual approach we see to the NHS budget," she told MPs on the committee.
"We have to recognise for the NHS to plan and manage effectively, we need to get away from the annual top-ups to the budget we have seen. We do need to have a sustainable long-term plan"."We have to recognise for the NHS to plan and manage effectively, we need to get away from the annual top-ups to the budget we have seen. We do need to have a sustainable long-term plan".
If you can't see the NHS Tracker, click or tap here.If you can't see the NHS Tracker, click or tap here.
Asked by Labour MP Meg Hillier if the NHS would have more money to spend each year, taking into account required efficiency savings, Mrs May said everyone wanted a "properly resourced" health service.Asked by Labour MP Meg Hillier if the NHS would have more money to spend each year, taking into account required efficiency savings, Mrs May said everyone wanted a "properly resourced" health service.
"By definition we have already committed to putting more money into the NHS over the coming years," she said. "So, more money will be going into the NHS.""By definition we have already committed to putting more money into the NHS over the coming years," she said. "So, more money will be going into the NHS."
After his recent Spring Statement, Chancellor Philip Hammond hinted at "headroom" for further money while last week ministers and unions agreed a pay rise for 1.3 million NHS staff, averaging 6.5% over three years. Following his recent Spring Statement, Chancellor Philip Hammond hinted at "headroom" for further money for the health service while last week ministers and union leaders agreed a pay rise for 1.3 million NHS staff, averaging 6.5% over three years.
Simon Stevens said a multi-year funding settlement for the NHS and social care "could mean huge gains for cancer patients, mental health services and support for frail older people, as well as the several million nurses, doctors and other care staff who devote their lives to looking after us". 'In crisis'
Mrs May would not comment on press reports over the weekend that ministers were looking at a dedicated health tax backed by some Conservative MPs - which the BBC understands have been discussed at a cabinet. Mr Stevens said a multi-year funding settlement for the NHS and social care could mean "huge gains for cancer patients, mental health services and support for frail older people, as well as the several million nurses, doctors and other care staff who devote their lives to looking after us".
Tory MP Nick Boles tweeted that such a step would be popular with MPs and the public in general. Conservative MP Sarah Wollaston, chairwoman of both the Liaison and Health select committees, said the PM's commitment was "really good news" but it would be a huge challenge to review NHS, social care and public health budgets all at once.
"The big questions will be how much funding, how will it be phased and when will it come on?" she said.
Labour said the health service needed an extra £5bn this year and an end to private sector contracting.
"The NHS is in crisis. We have got waiting lists at four million and literally thousands of often vulnerable patients languishing on trolleys in corridors," said shadow health secretary Jon Ashworth.
"I am sceptical because the government has refused to give the NHS for funding it needs over eight years."
Mrs May would not comment on press reports over the weekend that ministers were looking at a dedicated health tax backed by some Conservative MPs - an idea the BBC understands has been discussed at cabinet.