The Health Foundation responds to NHS debates at Labour Party conference

Following debates at the Labour party conference about the NHS, Anita Charlesworth, Chief Economist, and Jennifer Dixon, Chief Executive of the Health Foundation, give their reactions.

Anita Charlesworth said:

'Over this parliament, health spending will have increased by around 1 per cent a year above inflation. Figures released last week showed that two thirds of acute hospitals are currently in deficit, to the sum of £0.5bn. In 2015/16 alone, the NHS has a £2bn hole in its finances. Spending pressures are expected to increase by £30bn by the end of the decade but most estimates suggest that productivity savings will meet just a third of this. 

'Doing nothing is not an option. It is therefore welcome that, at the first of the main party conferences, the Labour Party is engaging with what is rapidly becoming a dire financial situation.'

Jennifer Dixon said:

'The financial settlement for the NHS over this parliament has been tight, and extra injections of funds are now critical. Any additional funds must help to lubricate needed change to help the NHS become more efficient. But, by itself, money isn't enough. There needs to be much more practical political commitment to supporting the NHS in dealing with difficult change, as identified in our More than money: closing the NHS funding gap report which we released last week. This includes moving to new models of care, greater support for people to stay well and support for providers to innovate and improve care.'

Media contact

Mike Findlay, Media Manager
T: 020 7257 8047
E: mike.findlay@health.org.uk