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| NHS could get worse from 2013, say finance chiefs | NHS could get worse from 2013, say finance chiefs |
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| Next year could be the turning point for the NHS in England when finances unravel and the quality of care starts to get worse, finance chiefs say. | Next year could be the turning point for the NHS in England when finances unravel and the quality of care starts to get worse, finance chiefs say. |
| The King's Fund research, based on its own analysis and interviews with 45 finance directors, found that standards were currently being upheld. | The King's Fund research, based on its own analysis and interviews with 45 finance directors, found that standards were currently being upheld. |
| But it warned from 2013 that would get more difficult and care could suffer. | But it warned from 2013 that would get more difficult and care could suffer. |
| The government, which has promised the health service will be protected, said the NHS was coping well. | The government, which has promised the health service will be protected, said the NHS was coping well. |
| The NHS has been set a target of making £20bn of savings by 2015 - the equivalent of about 5% a year. | The NHS has been set a target of making £20bn of savings by 2015 - the equivalent of about 5% a year. |
| The majority of the NHS finance chiefs who took part in the think tank's study said they were managing to make them at the moment without harming care. | The majority of the NHS finance chiefs who took part in the think tank's study said they were managing to make them at the moment without harming care. |
| The King's Fund said these sentiments were supported by the latest performance statistics which showed the NHS was performing well. | The King's Fund said these sentiments were supported by the latest performance statistics which showed the NHS was performing well. |
| Waiting times in A&E and for non-emergency operations, such as knee and hip replacements, had fallen slightly and were well within target, while hospital infections rates continued to drop. | Waiting times in A&E and for non-emergency operations, such as knee and hip replacements, had fallen slightly and were well within target, while hospital infections rates continued to drop. |
| 'Turning point' | 'Turning point' |
| But that could change in 2013, the research suggested. | But that could change in 2013, the research suggested. |
| A total of 27 of the 45 finance directors which took part in the online questionnaire said there was now a high or very high risk that NHS would not meet its savings target by 2015. | A total of 27 of the 45 finance directors which took part in the online questionnaire said there was now a high or very high risk that NHS would not meet its savings target by 2015. |
| Nineteen of the panel said they expected care to worsen over the next few years, with only eight believing it would get better. | Nineteen of the panel said they expected care to worsen over the next few years, with only eight believing it would get better. |
| Prof John Appleby, chief economist at the King's Fund, said: "There are signs that future years will be harder. | Prof John Appleby, chief economist at the King's Fund, said: "There are signs that future years will be harder. |
| "The end of the public sector pay freeze next April may add to financial pressure and increase the strain on services. | "The end of the public sector pay freeze next April may add to financial pressure and increase the strain on services. |
| "The difficulty will be finding ways to absorb these costs without compromising the quality of care for patients." | "The difficulty will be finding ways to absorb these costs without compromising the quality of care for patients." |
| But health minister Lord Howe maintained the NHS was "on track" to achieve its savings target. | But health minister Lord Howe maintained the NHS was "on track" to achieve its savings target. |
| He said £5.8bn was saved last year, while performance remained good. | He said £5.8bn was saved last year, while performance remained good. |
| "Waiting times have been kept low, infections have been reduced, there are more doctors, more diagnostic tests and more planned operations," he added. | "Waiting times have been kept low, infections have been reduced, there are more doctors, more diagnostic tests and more planned operations," he added. |
| Do you have any questions about the NHS? The BBC's Nick Triggle is standing by to answer a selection of your questions. Please get in touch using the form below. The Q&A will be published later on today. |