The Chancellor of the Exchequer has confirmed a “historic” real-term funding boost of £20.5 billion for the NHS. Presenting Budget 2018 yesterday (29 October), Chancellor Philip Hammond said the funding will be allocated over the next 5 years, as announced previously by the Prime Minister in June.
The additional funding will be distributed according to the NHS 10-year plan, which is due to be published shortly. However, ahead of its publication, the Chancellor revealed that a significant proportion of the money will be invested in strengthening mental health crisis services, with “comprehensive mental health support available in every major A&E” as well mental health crisis teams for children and young people in every part of the country. Additional mental health ambulances are also to be commissioned and there will be more “safe havens” in the community for people in mental health crises.
Responding to the announcement, Dr Chaand Nagpaul, BMA Council Chair, said: "Whilst the BMA welcomes the announcement that £2 billion is to be allocated for mental health services, it is disappointing that the Chancellor will draw upon the previously announced £20 billion funding the NHS is to receive during the next 5 years.
"Independent think-tanks including analysis from the BMA has already stated that the NHS needs a funding increase of at least 4% a year - not the 3.4% announced by the Prime Minister. The £20 billion that’s been promised over the next five years is not enough to make the NHS sustainable, and so far no thought has been given to the additional financial drain to NHS resources that Brexit may bring.”
"The chancellor should have used this opportunity to commit to a funding increase for the NHS that meets the needs of patients, with the £2 billion for mental health services coming from new additional investment, not drawn from an already inadequate pot. That said, we need to see the money being allocated quickly and effectively to an area of NHS care that’s been chronically neglected and underfunded for too long."
