Blank cheque for extra hospital staff and beds
THE Chancellor effectively wrote a blank cheque for the NHS yesterday promising staff ‘ whatever extra resources’ they need to cope with the coronavirus outbreak.
Rishi Sunak pledged to invest ‘millions of pounds or billions of pounds’ in measures such as hiring retired doctors and nurses or developing a vaccine.
More immediately, the Chancellor also said he would set aside a £5billion ‘emergency response fund’ – which could be increased – for hospitals and other public services.
He did not specify how this money was intended to be used but it could be invested in extra intensive care beds or paying for staff to work overtime or come out of retirement.
Mr Sunak told the Commons yesterday: ‘First, whatever extra resources our NHS needs to cope with coronavirus, it will get.
‘Whether it is research for a vaccine, recruiting thousands of returning staff or supporting our brilliant doctors and nurses – whether it is millions of pounds or billions of pounds –whatever it needs, whatever it costs, we stand behind our NHS.
But experts pointed out the Chancellor was ‘light on detail’ on exactly how this money would help doctors and nurses working on already understaffed wards.
Siva Anandaciva, chief analyst at The King’s Fund think-tank said: ‘The coronavirus outbreak has understandably altered the Government’s priorities for this Budget so the extra £5billion announced for the NHS, social care and other public services to support their response to the coronavirus is very welcome. Chronic workforce shortages remain the single biggest issue currently facing the NHS and social care, yet the Budget was light on detail of how it would boost recruitment and retention, and support under-pressure staff.’
Professor John Appleby, at the Nuffield Trust think-tank said: ‘Staff and space are the resources that will really be needed, and the NHS starts in a deep hole after a decade of underfunding and understaffing. With tens of thousands of nursing posts already vacant and beds full to capacity, what can the service usefully spend this money on?’