1. A budget to stabilize the NHS, but not transform it yet.
In the Health Foundation’s immediate reaction to the Budget, chief executive Jennifer Dixon said the Prime Minister was committed to a long-term approach to rebuilding the NHS and public services after “a decade of underinvestment and short-termism”. welcomed the commitment.
He said attention will be focused on next year’s Spending Review and the NHS’s 10-year plan, which goes beyond stabilizing services by introducing investment, reform and key technology to transform the NHS.
Read the full statement
2. NHS funding must lead to visible improvements for the public
Senior economic adviser Anita Charlesworth said that although the NHS had settled with relatively generous funding, the next 18 months would still be incredibly difficult. This is due in particular to pressures regarding staff salaries, low productivity, increased demand for health services, and the need to address social security funding issues.
Read Anita’s review
3. Did your budget lay the foundation for building good health?
“The overall purpose of this Budget was to support the Government’s long-term economic growth plans. But our prosperity and health are inextricably linked. A successful growth vision requires health. There has to be a combination of efforts to build.”
David Finch considers whether the Budget will help deliver on Labor’s promise of a ‘fairer Britain where everyone lives longer’.
Read David’s blog
4. Where did this budget leave adult social care?
Lucinda Allen and Hiba Sameen said that while there was much to welcome in the Budget in relation to the NHS, adult social care for older people and people with disabilities did not fare as well. The Budget includes an extra £600m for both adult and children’s social care, although previous analysis from the Health Foundation suggested more than £1bn would be needed next year. This is unlikely to affect both parties.
Read their analysis
5. Health funding: latest UK funding figures
Under the budget, NHS spending is expected to increase by 3% a year in real terms over the next two years. Our latest analysis breaks down the budget numbers and shows how spending has changed over the past decade.
The health funding webpage from the NHS and REAL Center has been updated to reflect the latest figures.
Explore the big picture of fundraising
This content was originally featured in an email newsletter that explores perspectives and expert opinions on a different health and healthcare topic each month.
