Prime minister says money will be initially be used to rescue NHS as he faces backlash over manifesto-busting plan
- Nadhim Zahawi ‘not comfortable’ with breaking manifesto promises
- Boris Johnson faces growing red wall rebellion over social care tax rises
Last night the Department of Health and Social Care announced an extra £5.4bn for the NHS in England over the next six months – and around £6bn for the NHS across the whole of the UK over that period.
In a joint statement, NHS Confederation and NHS Providers, which both represent hospitals and other NHS organisations, have welcomed the news, but said an extra £10bn a year over the next three years will still be needed. They said:
The NHS has been desperately seeking clarity on its budget for the second half of the year and the government has now delivered that certainty with this £5.4 billion announcement. The NHS can now get on with the huge task it has ahead of what we anticipate will be one of the most challenging winters the service has ever faced. The task for the government now is to follow up in its spending review with the extra £10 billion a year the NHS will need over the next three years to avoid patient services from being cut.
One of my fears about the announcements that are being made at the moment is that we’re talking about how that’s going to be funded but what we haven’t seen at all is the plans for what that reform of social care will look like.
We absolutely know that social care needs more money, but we’ve got to make sure that we’re putting that money in the right place, just as we do in the NHS. So whilst the focus is always on the money, let’s think about how that’s going to be used.
John Swinney, Scotland’s deputy first minister, has said he is self-isolating after coming into contact with someone with Covid. He posted this on Twitter last night.
I have been advised tonight that I am a close contact of an individual who has tested positive for Covid. I have booked a PCR test and will be self-isolating in line with the rules. Thanks to all the contact tracers for their diligent work.
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