The NHS in England is set to receive a £1.5 billion boost next year in order to provide an additional 2 million appointments, as announced in the Budget. However, Health Secretary Wes Streeting cautioned that this funding will only serve to “arrest the decline” of the struggling health service.
The additional funds will be allocated towards capital investment, including the establishment of new surgical hubs and scanners, enhancing access to care and diagnostics, and acquiring new radiotherapy machines to improve cancer treatments, according to the Treasury. This investment is part of a larger annual package aimed at strengthening the health service, which will be detailed by Rachel Reeves in the Budget presentation on Wednesday.
While the exact amount of money earmarked for the NHS in the 2025-26 financial year has not been disclosed by ministers, it is expected that a significant portion of the £20 billion generated from increased national insurance contributions by employers will be allocated to the health service.
Streeting acknowledged that there may still be challenges ahead, stating that he could not guarantee there wouldn’t be patients waiting on trolleys and in corridors during the upcoming winter. However, he emphasized the importance of planning ahead to address future issues and stated that the Budget will help prevent further deterioration of the NHS.
In addition to the £1.5 billion allocation, the Treasury has already provided £1.8 billion to the NHS since July to enhance the availability of elective treatments such as knee replacements and cataract surgeries.
Reeves is also expected to announce a £240 million injection to expedite the rollout of local services supporting disabled individuals and long-term sick individuals in returning to work. This move is part of the government’s broader efforts to address the underinvestment and neglect suffered by the NHS under the previous Conservative administration.
Despite the challenges faced by the NHS, Reeves remains optimistic about the future, pledging to restore the health service to a position of strength and readiness for the years ahead. She highlighted the government’s commitment to overcoming the crisis faced by the NHS and positioning it for a brighter future.
A recent report commissioned by the government revealed significant delays in patient treatment across England, with millions of appointments pending and hundreds of thousands of individuals waiting for over a year for care. The report attributed much of the strain on the health system to austerity measures implemented in the past decade.
Labor’s primary goal for government includes building a sustainable and effective NHS, with the initial target of offering an additional 40,000 appointments per week to reduce waiting times. Reeves has underscored the importance of this objective by prioritizing the health service in the Budget agenda.
Health officials have expressed confidence in a real-terms increase of at least 4% for the NHS in the upcoming fiscal year, amounting to approximately £7 billion. However, concerns remain about the potential impact of recent agreements with junior doctors on the NHS budget.
The Nuffield Trust has highlighted the need for a minimum 3.6% increase in real terms to maintain the NHS at its current level. Sally Gainsbury of the health think-tank emphasized the importance of addressing the existing funding gap and accounting for increased staff pay costs.
As preparations continue for the Budget announcement, stakeholders are eagerly awaiting further details on the government’s plans to support and strengthen the NHS.