The Government says the NHS is getting ‘more money than ever’, but this is highly misleading. Annual increases have not taken account of inflation, nor the increasing needs of a growing and ageing population with greater complex needs. NHS funding of ‘units of workload’ has fallen since 2009, (against rising population, age profile, complexity of need). The UK is the sixth largest economy in the world. Funding should match per capita spending of countries like France and Germany. The decision to starve our NHS of funds is not rational but ideological. Significantly more real terms NHS funding is crucial to restoring standards of healthcare for all.
WHAT ARE THE FACTS?
- A strong NHS means a healthy society and a healthy economy
- 2.5 million people on long-term sick need better healthcare
- 6 out of 10 people in the UK think the wealthy are not paying enough tax
- The recent rise in NHS funding (£3.3bn) was well short of the £7bn sum that NHS England said was necessary to cope with inflation, and the cost of living crisis
- Health spending in the UK between 2010 and 2019 was £3055 per person, 18% below the EU average of £3,655
- Funding is desperately needed to resolve the current pay crisis – crucial to retaining staff and tackling waiting lists
- 42 local Integrated Care Systems overspent by over £2bn 2023/24, now face £12bn cuts in services by 2025
- The unfunded cost of delayed repairs to England’s hospitals has risen to at least £10.2bn in 2023 increased from £4.7bn in 2012. The 2023 budget failed to provide for this backlog. Buildings with Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete are now dangerously unsafe
- Public health budgets have been cut by 24% on a real terms per person basis since 2015/16
- 82% of the public believe that funding should be increased and primarily through taxation. Just 10% agree with current government NHS policies
WHAT MUST HAPPEN NOW?
- Fund the NHS to the level of comparable economies and rebuild health services
- A 2% wealth tax on assets over £10m could raise £22bn; standardising 8% NI on higher incomes (reduced from 12% in 2023-24) raises more (it’s only 2% on earnings over £50k)
- Reforming non-dom status rules could raise £3.2bn a year
- Equalising capital gains with income tax rates could raise £15.2 billion a year Reverse NHS funding going to the private sector
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