The Guardian view on health spending: the NHS needs more than a shot in the arm | Editorial
The chancellor has given the health service a boost. But huge challenges remain
It was predictable that Wes Streeting’s department would emerge as the winner from this week’s budget, given the scale of the difficulties facing the NHS, particularly its vast waiting lists, and the strength of public feeling about this. The promised increase of £22.6bn over two years, plus £3.1bn for repairs and equipment, will bring the average annual increase in day-to-day spending in England up to 4%.
Big as these numbers are, they are far from transformative. The historic average increase is 3.6%. Ageing populations, new drugs and medical technology mean that the UK and other western democracies need to raise health spending by around this amount to meet voters’ expectations.
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The chancellor has given the health service a boost. But huge challenges remain
It was predictable that Wes Streeting’s department would emerge as the winner from this week’s budget, given the scale of the difficulties facing the NHS, particularly its vast waiting lists, and the strength of public feeling about this. The promised increase of £22.6bn over two years, plus £3.1bn for repairs and equipment, will bring the average annual increase in day-to-day spending in England up to 4%.
Big as these numbers are, they are far from transformative. The historic average increase is 3.6%. Ageing populations, new drugs and medical technology mean that the UK and other western democracies need to raise health spending by around this amount to meet voters’ expectations.
Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.
Continue reading...
By Editorial
The Guardian view on health spending: the NHS needs more than a shot in the arm | Editorial to Continue reading...
NHS Forums - For NHS Staff | Patient Forums
