LGA responds to NAO report on NHS financial sustainability

22 Jan 2019 08:50 AM

Cllr Ian Hudspeth, Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, responded to the NAO report on NHS financial sustainability

“A sustainable NHS is not possible without a sustainable social care sector and public health programme. If the NHS is going to thrive, we need to make sure that public health budget cuts are reversed and that our social care services are properly funded and sustainable.

“Reductions in public health funding undermines our ability to improve the public’s health and to keep pressures off the NHS and social care.

“The current system of social care is unsustainable and will buckle under the weight of demand unless the Government uses the upcoming Spending Review to urgently invest in these essential services, which protect health, prevent sickness and are the surest way to reduce hospital admissions.”

Notes to editors

• Councils face an overall funding gap of £8 billion by 2025
• Adult social care funding will have a funding shortfall of £3.6 billion by 2025 despite recent funding announced in the budget
• Public health funding has been reduced by £600 million between 2015/16 and 2019/20

NAO Report: NHS financial sustainability