NHS Providers response to the spending round
04 September 2019
- Chancellor Sajid Javid has delivered his spending round.
- The Department of Health and Social Care’s (DHSC) resource budget will rise by 3.1% in real terms, giving the NHS a cash increase of £33.9bn a year by 2023/24 compared to 2018/19 budgets.
- The government will invest £250m in artificial intelligence to help solve some of healthcare’s challenges.
- The settlement includes a 3.4% real terms increase in the Health Education England budget, which will include an additional £150m for continuing professional development, providing a £1,000 central training budget for each nurse, midwife and allied health professional over three years, as well as increased funding for wider education and training budgets.
- Councils will have access to a further £1.5bn for social care – £1bn through a new grant and £500m through the adult social care precept.
- It also includes a real terms increase to the Public Health grant budget.
- The DHSC will receive a new multi-year capital settlement at the next capital review.
Responding to the spending round for 2020/21 announced by chancellor Sajid Javid, the chief executive of NHS Providers, Chris Hopson said:
“We welcome the clear sign from the government today that the NHS is a key domestic priority. We have been calling for a new approach to investment in our NHS, its buildings and infrastructure, so it is good to see that the government has committed to do this at the next spending review.
We have been calling for a new approach to investment in our NHS, its buildings and infrastructure, so it is good to see that the government has committed to do this at the next spending review.
“NHS trusts will also welcome the additional funding for training and development and public health, and will be relieved to see some extra money earmarked for overstretched social care services. But today’s announcements, whilst welcome, just focus on the immediate short-term. We still need concrete long-term funding commitments on capital, public health and education if the NHS is to deliver its long term plan.”