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| Spending Review: NHS gets small funding rise | |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| By Nick Triggle Health reporter, BBC News | By Nick Triggle Health reporter, BBC News |
| The NHS budget in England is to rise by £10bn this parliament - the equivalent of a 0.1% above inflation rise each year. | |
| It will mean funding increasing from £104bn this year to £114bn by 2014-15. | |
| Historically, health spending has gone up by over 4% in real terms, prompting unions to say ahead of the announcement that a small rise will feel like a cut. | Historically, health spending has gone up by over 4% in real terms, prompting unions to say ahead of the announcement that a small rise will feel like a cut. |
| This is because the ageing population, obesity and the cost of new drugs mean an extra 3% is needed to stand still. | This is because the ageing population, obesity and the cost of new drugs mean an extra 3% is needed to stand still. |
| In preparation, the NHS has already been asked to find efficiency savings. | In preparation, the NHS has already been asked to find efficiency savings. |
| The previous government set a target of between £15bn and £20bn by 2014 - which means finding nearly 5% of savings a year. | The previous government set a target of between £15bn and £20bn by 2014 - which means finding nearly 5% of savings a year. |
| This target has been kept in place by the coalition despite its promise to increase the health budget in this parliament from April - the details of which have now been given in the Spending Review. | This target has been kept in place by the coalition despite its promise to increase the health budget in this parliament from April - the details of which have now been given in the Spending Review. |
| Announcing the increase, Chancellor George Osborne said: "The NHS is an intrinsic part of the fabric of our country. It is the embodiment of a fair society. | Announcing the increase, Chancellor George Osborne said: "The NHS is an intrinsic part of the fabric of our country. It is the embodiment of a fair society. |
| "To govern is to choose. And we have chosen the NHS. That does not mean we are letting the Health department off the need to drive forward real reform and savings from waste and inefficiency." | "To govern is to choose. And we have chosen the NHS. That does not mean we are letting the Health department off the need to drive forward real reform and savings from waste and inefficiency." |
| He also said the cancer drug fund, promised before the election, would be created, while spending on health research would be protected along with a host of new hospital projects. | He also said the cancer drug fund, promised before the election, would be created, while spending on health research would be protected along with a host of new hospital projects. |
| He also said social care would get an extra £2bn over the next four years. | He also said social care would get an extra £2bn over the next four years. |
| 'Financial pressures' | 'Financial pressures' |
| While ministers say all savings from the efficiency drive will be reinvested into the NHS, unions are concerned about job losses. | While ministers say all savings from the efficiency drive will be reinvested into the NHS, unions are concerned about job losses. |
| The Royal College of Nursing estimates more than 10,000 posts have closed in recent months and said if this trend continues patient care will be hit. | The Royal College of Nursing estimates more than 10,000 posts have closed in recent months and said if this trend continues patient care will be hit. |
| There have already been reports of hospitals closing wards and restricting access to minor operations, while fears have been voiced that waiting lists could rise in the future. | There have already been reports of hospitals closing wards and restricting access to minor operations, while fears have been voiced that waiting lists could rise in the future. |