WGPlus (Archive)
Looking beyond, the flu & Xmas crisis period |
Additional funding, aimed to help the NHS get on a financially sustainable footing, has instead been spent on coping with existing pressures, according to a NAO report. The NHS received an additional £1.8bn Sustainability & Transformation Fund in 2016-17 to give it breathing space to set itself up to survive on significantly less funding growth from 2017-18 onwards. It was also intended to give it stability to improve performance and transform services, to achieve a sustainable health system. The Fund has helped the NHS improve its financial position from a £1,848m deficit in 2015-16 to a £111m surplus in 2016-17. There has also been an improved underspend of £154m across clinical commissioning groups, yet 62 groups reported a cumulative deficit in 2016-17, up from 32 in 2015-16. Despite its overall financial position improving, the NHS is struggling to manage increased activity & demand within its budget and has not met NHS access targets. Furthermore, measures it took to rebalance its finances have restricted money available for longer-term transformation, which is essential for the NHS to meet demand, drive efficiencies and improve the service. For example, the Department transferred £1.2bn of its £5.8bn budget for capital projects to fund the day-to-day activities of NHS bodies. On top of this funding, many trusts are receiving large levels of in-year cash injections, most of which are loans from the Department, which have worsened rather than improved their financial performance. Extra cash support increased from £2.4bn in 2015-16 to £3.1bn in 2016-17. |
Researched Links: |
NAO: Sustainability & transformation in the NHS King's Fund: Mental health funding gap widens further Editorial Commentary; Health & Social Care funding Helping to make care affordable With medical staff costs continually rising, we need other alternatives |