I believe fully in the NHS and its values, and I would
like to assure you that the Government is committed to a tax-funded NHS, free
at the point of use, wherever and whenever you need it. As Ministers plan a new
relationship with the EU, I know they will continue to ensure that the NHS is
given the priority it deserves.
Despite tight public finances, the Government has
actively supported the NHS's own plan for the future. That is why it is
increasing NHS spending by a minimum of £8 billion in real terms over the next
five years. This will ensure that by the end of this Parliament, everyone will
be able to access GP services at evenings and weekends.
At the recent Budget, the Chancellor announced an
additional £6.3 billion in funding for the NHS, £335 million will be spent this
year on A&Es to prepare them for any winter pressure they may face.
I wholeheartedly support the Government's increase to the
NHS budget. However, the NHS is a public service like any other, and local
areas must live within their agreed budgets, otherwise they are effectively
unfairly depriving other parts of the NHS of much-needed resources. As I
understand, the so-called 'capped expenditure process' is part of NHS England
and NHS Improvement's financial planning, which examines how a small number of
NHS areas could do more to balance their budgets, and remain on a financially
sustainable footing for the long run.
You may be happy to hear that the Commonwealth Fund, a
respected healthcare think-tank which works to improve access to healthcare
around the world rated the NHS as the best healthcare system in the world, in
an authoritative, comparative study of healthcare systems in developed
economies. Whilst there is no room for complacency, I am encouraged that the
NHS is performing well, despite many years of difficult financial
circumstances.
More money is being invested in mental health than ever
before, with an estimated record £11.4 billion this year and investment
continues to rise. Additional mental health funding has been invested since
April 2017, rising to £1 billion by 2020/21 for mental health to support crisis
care and perinatal services, and respond to the Five Year Forward View for
Mental Health. For children and young people, £1.4 billion has been committed
to transform mental health and eating disorder services over five years. In
Cornwall will have our first adolescent mental health unit build in Bodmin over
the next few years. No longer will young people have to travel out of county to
get the care they need.
The NHS will earmark an extra £2.4 billion a year for GP
services by 2020/21, a 14 per cent real terms increase. This investment
includes a £500 million Sustainability and Transformation package to help GP
practices add to the workforce and tackle workload.
On top of this, to secure the best value for taxpayers,
tough new financial controls have been introduced to cut down on waste in the
NHS, including introducing caps for agency staff and management consultants,
and introducing central procurement rules. I am glad to say that the limits on
agency spending have saved the NHS roughly £1 billion between 2014 and 2016,
and the NHS believes there is still significant progress to be made.
I understand that the NHS is putting into practice the
Getting it Right First Time scheme, first piloted by orthopaedic surgeon
Professor Tim Briggs. In 2016, the Health Secretary announced new plans to
reduce infection in the NHS and improve surgical practice, which aims to save
the NHS a further £1.5 billion per year, which can be reinvested in patient
care.
In recognition of the pressures facing social care in
local areas, the Chancellor has announced a package of measures in the recent
budget which go even further to help the health and care system. Local
Authorities in England will receive an additional £2 billion for social care
over the next three years. This will help to ease pressures on the NHS by
supporting more people to be discharged from hospital and into care as soon as
they are ready.
It is also important to note what’s happening Cornwall.
The NHS budget has increased and is budgeted to continue increase as you can
see from the table below.
