Bickering over NHS an ‘insult to taxpayers’

PUBLIC “bickering” between the Prime Minister and the NHS over funding at a time when the health service is facing severe financial problems is an “insult to taxpayers”, a parliamentary committee has said.

Few NHS trusts feel they have a plan for meeting financial targets set by the Government, which must now take “targeted action” to avoid a “catastrophic failure” in the service, the Public Accounts Committee said.

Amid the strain, the Theresa May and NHS England boss Simon Stevens are falling out over funding and must find a way to work together “in the best interests of patients” alongside the Department of Health.

The intervention comes after Mr Stevens went into battle with Mrs May over NHS funding, telling the committee in January an extra £10 billion was being made available to NHS England over six years, but overall it had “got less” than set out in its five-year plan.

The comments by Mr Stevens, who is due to appear before the committee again today, contradict those of the Mrs May, who has insisted the NHS got all it wanted in the funding settlement.

Committee chairman Meg Hillier said: “The NHS is under threat from growing and unsustainable financial pressures.At the same time, the Government seems unable to get its house in order, plundering NHS investment funds to plug holes, and falling out in public over longer-term strategy.” IT is The Herald’s policy to correct errors as soon as we can and all corrections and clarifications will usually appear on this page.

The Herald adheres to the Editors’ Code of Practice (see www.ipso.co.uk). We are regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (Ipso).

Complaints about stories should be referred firstly to the Editor at complaints@theherald. co.uk or by post, 200 Renfield Street, Glasgow G23QB.

If a resolution cannot be reached, contact Ipso at inquiries@ipso.co.uk or by post at Ipso, Gate House, 1 Farringdon Street,London EC4M 7LG.