The NHS Alliance response to the chancellor's budget

28 Oct 2026 03:41 PM

David Williams responds to the chancellor's budget.

Responding to the chancellor's budget, the deputy director of policy at the NHS Alliance, David Williams, said:

"The chancellor rightly acknowledged the pressures posed by increased energy costs and inflation.

"Add to that the impact on the NHS of further planned industrial action and costs linked to the UK-US trade deal. 

"There is precious little financial breathing space in the NHS, and the government must be realistic about what it expects the health service to deliver with the resources available.

"The additional £190 million for winter pressures is welcome, but short-term cash injections like this cannot fix the fundamentals.

"We look forward to working with the government on its planned review of productivity, focusing on the adoption of AI."

Budget 2026: Breathing space for today, hope for the future