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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| NHS England 'facing funding gap of up to £2bn' | NHS England 'facing funding gap of up to £2bn' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| NHS England faces a funding gap of up to £2bn in its budget for the next financial year, health chiefs warn. | NHS England faces a funding gap of up to £2bn in its budget for the next financial year, health chiefs warn. |
| Senior NHS officials told the BBC that growing financial needs would outstrip the money it received from April 2015. | Senior NHS officials told the BBC that growing financial needs would outstrip the money it received from April 2015. |
| Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt is involved in Whitehall talks on whether new money is needed to plug the gap. | Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt is involved in Whitehall talks on whether new money is needed to plug the gap. |
| The Department of Health said it was "confident" it would "make the savings necessary to meet rising demand". | The Department of Health said it was "confident" it would "make the savings necessary to meet rising demand". |
| NHS England's budget for 2015 has been set at about £100bn. | NHS England's budget for 2015 has been set at about £100bn. |
| 'On track' | 'On track' |
| The NHS has seen a prolonged budget freeze as part of the government's plan to reduce the country's deficit. | The NHS has seen a prolonged budget freeze as part of the government's plan to reduce the country's deficit. |
| Its budget has been protected from cuts which have affected most other departments, but spending has only risen at the rate of inflation. | Its budget has been protected from cuts which have affected most other departments, but spending has only risen at the rate of inflation. |
| Factors including population growth have led to increasing demand on NHS services, and higher NHS pension costs have added to the financial pressure. | Factors including population growth have led to increasing demand on NHS services, and higher NHS pension costs have added to the financial pressure. |
| In a statement, the Department of Health said: "The NHS is on track to make £20 billion savings this parliament and we are confident that it will continue to make the savings necessary to meet rising demand." | In a statement, the Department of Health said: "The NHS is on track to make £20 billion savings this parliament and we are confident that it will continue to make the savings necessary to meet rising demand." |
| But some health chiefs told the BBC the sums for the financial year beginning next April - just before the general election - do not add up. | But some health chiefs told the BBC the sums for the financial year beginning next April - just before the general election - do not add up. |
| 'Gap after savings' | 'Gap after savings' |
| Meanwhile, an estimate by the health regulator Monitor underlines the possible scale of the challenge. | Meanwhile, an estimate by the health regulator Monitor underlines the possible scale of the challenge. |
| It says there is a funding gap of just over £5bn for 2015-16 in NHS England's £78bn commissioning budget for all secondary healthcare - which makes up about three quarters of NHS England's total budget and includes hospitals and mental health services. | It says there is a funding gap of just over £5bn for 2015-16 in NHS England's £78bn commissioning budget for all secondary healthcare - which makes up about three quarters of NHS England's total budget and includes hospitals and mental health services. |
| Even after all realistic efficiency savings are made, Monitor says, a deficit of £1.6bn will remain in this section of the budget. | |
| The concerns over NHS England's budget come after recent research by the Nuffield Trust suggested NHS Wales was facing a £2.5bn funding gap over the next decade. | The concerns over NHS England's budget come after recent research by the Nuffield Trust suggested NHS Wales was facing a £2.5bn funding gap over the next decade. |
| Health Minister Mark Drakeford said that report, commissioned by the Welsh government, recognised long-term savings could be made if services continue to be reformed. | Health Minister Mark Drakeford said that report, commissioned by the Welsh government, recognised long-term savings could be made if services continue to be reformed. |