Give the NHS cash, but spend it wisely

CHANCELLOR Philip Hammond signalled this week that a decade of austerity may soon end. He said there was a ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ and hinted he is prepared to start spending on the NHS.

Great. There’s no doubt that this would be welcome, as things are pretty dire on the coalface in a way I’ve not seen before in the course of my career.

It’s particularly bad in mental health, which, despite improved awareness and all the celebrities and royals championing it, still tends to be underfunded and ignored. I routinely hear stories of patients being turned away, despite being in desperate need, because they ‘aren’t bad enough’.

I’ve even had patients told that because they aren’t yet suicidal, there’s nothing that can be done — and to come back if they are actually going to kill themselves. So, yes, we desperately need better funded services.

But while I welcome additional spending, spend it with care Mr Hammond. In the past, increased spending on the NHS has involved simply spraying cash in the general direction of the health service.

Any extra cash must be handed over with the caveat that it is spent entirely on front-line services for patients. No more managers or extra levels of bureaucracy or external consultants. No rebrands or fancy, pie-in-the-sky pilot schemes that never come to fruition.

If Mr Hammond doesn’t do this right, it will only irritate and inflame patients and staff. And my biggest concern is that the hard-working taxpayers, on whom the NHS relies, will start to lose faith. This would be the death knell for the NHS.

So, yes, give the NHS more cash — but please spend it wisely.