Sun Club
NHS BOOST

NHS set for funding boost in Budget to clear backlog of 7.1million people

THE NHS is set for a funding boost in today’s budget as the spending watchdog warned it does not have enough cash to clear backlogs.

Health Secretary Steve Barclay told an NHS conference in Liverpool yesterday that he will “relentlessly focus” on shrinking the wait list of 7.1million people.

Advertisement
The NHS is set for a funding boost in today’s BudgetCredit: Getty
Speaking at a conference in Liverpool, Health Secretary Steve Barclay said he looks to reduce the 7.1million Brits on hospital waiting listsCredit: Alamy

He said the Autumn Statement will prove reports he had not lobbied for more health cash were “absolutely incorrect”.

A new backlog-busting tsar will be brought in to drive down waits, with top surgeon Professor Tim Briggs appointed clinical director for elective recovery.

It comes as a report by the National Audit Office warned there is a “serious risk” hospitals will fail in their mission to hit surgery and cancer targets by 2025.

Mr Barclay said: “I can absolutely confirm that we do need support to meet inflationary pressures.

Advertisement

“I can assure you the Treasury wouldn’t allocate any money to a department if it didn’t need it.”

The NAO said inflation has already “eroded” the value of £14bn allocated for clearing wait lists last year.

Its report said the NHS is off-track on targets to get cancer waits back to pre-pandemic levels by March 2023 and clear the one-year waiting list by March 2025.

Even if it succeeds, patients will still face long delays because of staff shortages, it added.

Advertisement

Most read in The Sun

OFF AIR
Gino D’Acampo SACKED by ITV who'll 'never work with him again’ after probe
DANGER ZONE
Beware 3 of the most dangerous medicines in the world - 1 may be in your home
LIFE OF CRIME
Baby-faced kingpin who ran drug ring with glam ex before £20m empire crumbled
'APPALLING'
Claims against Gino revealed - from Cornetto threat to ‘flicking’ genitals

Gareth Davies, the head of the NAO, said: “There are significant risks to the delivery of the plan to reduce long waits for elective and cancer care services by 2025.”

Dr Emma Runswick, deputy chair of council at the British Medical Association, added: “Even if the government wrote a blank cheque for the recovery plan, it’s unachievable without the staff to deliver it.”

An NHS spokesperson said: “Despite concerns about what is likely to be a very challenging winter, the NHS is currently on track to deliver on its next recovery milestones.”

Topics
Advertisement
machibet777.com