NHS funding absent from budget

  Political rhetoric has ignored the reality of an NHS facing ‘breaking point’, warned the BMA after today’s budget gave no mention of further funding. Chancellor George Osborne (pictured) made no reference to additional NHS funding in his budget speech, despite continuing warnings from the medical profession that rising demand and lack of resources threaten to cripple the health service. BMA council chair Mark Porter, who recently accused the Government of leaving the NHS to sort out the £30bn financial shortfall it will face by 2020, said promises on funding had failed to materialise. He said: ‘It is disgraceful given the crisis facing the NHS that there was no promise of extra funding for a health service that is buckling under pressure from rising patient demand, falling resources and staff shortages. ‘Hospitals and GP practices around the country are at breaking point and need urgent, extra investment to maintain even basic care for their patients. ‘The political rhetoric does not match the reality on the ground of an NHS in crisis. The Government’s funding promises have simply not materialised.’   Drinks tax Despite a lack of further funding commitments, the chancellor did commit to bringing in a tax on sugary drinks, in line with recommendations made in the BMA’s recent Food for Thought report. The measure, which would be introduced in 2018, would see drinks companies face two tax bands for total su...
Source: BMA News - Category: UK Health Source Type: news