‘Billions needed’ to clear treatment backlog

More than £10 billion in extra NHS funding is needed just to tackle the growing backlog in care caused by the pandemic, according to the British Medical Association.

The BMA, the union representing doctors in the UK, has called for the chancellor to commit to both shortterm and long- term spending increases to help the health service recover from the crisis.

Rishi Sunak said this weekend £3bn has been earmarked for the NHS in the spending review due to be unveiled on Wednesday.

But he warned the nation is experiencing an “economic shock” that must be paid for somehow.

The BMA urged Mr Sunak not to break a promise made in March to give the NHS whatever it needed to ge t through the pandemic.

The chancellor said at the time: “I can say absolutely categorically the NHS will get whatever resources it needs to get us through this and to respond to the health crisis.”

According to the union’s analysis, there were 14.6 million fewer outpatient attendances than expected since the beginning of the pandemic, which could cost up to £ 1.7bn to work through.

It found there were 2 .2 million fewer elective treatments, which will cost an estimated £9bn to clear.

It said the problem is only likely to get worse this winter as more treatments are cancelled during the second wave of Covid-19.

The BMA said the pandemic has placed “unprecedented pressure” on a health system that was already stretched and underfunded.

The Treasury said on Saturday that £1bn of the £3bn promised by the chancellor will go towards cutting backlogs.