Chancellor must choose between extra funding or service cuts, says health managers' union
Wed 08 Nov 2017
MiP responds to today's speech by Simon Stevens and reports from several influential healthcare bodies on NHS funding.
MiP, the union for 6,000 of the UK's health and care managers, threw its weight behind today's call by Simon Stevens, the chief executive of NHS England, for more money for the NHS in the budget on 22 November.
Responding to Stevens’ speech at today’s NHS Providers conference, as well as reports by leading think tanks, Jon Restell, MiP chief executive, said:
“Today is a very significant day for the NHS throughout the UK. Simon Stevens has rightly set out the political choice facing the the Chancellor – more money for the NHS or cuts in services and longer waiting times.
“Three leading think tanks have told the Chancellor that the NHS needs £4 billion next year to meet demand. NHS Providers have said that efficiency improvements in the NHS are running at historically-high levels and outstripping performance in the wider economy.”
“Our members are local managers in the NHS. They know the impact underfunding is having on care. They know the freeze on investment in pay, our workforce and infrastructure can't go on. They know that there are few short term efficiencies left to achieve and that transforming services requires investment and time. They know the only answer is extra funding.”
“MiP urges the Chancellor to take heed of all these voices, including local managers, and use the budget on 22 November to invest in the country's health and care system.”