PM pledges £1.8bn cash boost for NHS

BORIS JOHNSON is expected to announce a £1.8bn cash injection for the NHS.

The Prime Minister will pledge that the yearly sum will immediately aid frontline services, by boosting beds and providing new equipment.

The funding would add to Theresa May’s £33.9bn yearly increase to go to the health service by 2023/24.

Labour, however, said it “falls significantly short” of the amount needed to reverse Tory cuts.

Mr Johnson’s latest spending pledge is also expected to be used to upgrade wards, repair buildings and boost capital spending. Some £850 million would go towards funding the vital upgrades to 20 hospitals that he pledged in his first speech as PM.

Labour accused the Tories of “smash and grab raids” by diverting money away from capital spending – used for equipment and repairs – in order to plug funding holes elsewhere in the NHS.

Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said: “This announcement – even if it’s ever delivered – falls significantly short of what’s needed to provide quality, safe care to patients after years of Tory cuts.

“Tory ministers have repeatedly cut capital investment budgets in recent years. These smash and grab raids have meant over £4bn slashed and seen the NHS repair bill spiral to £6bn putting patient safety at risk.”

Delivering on health spending commitments is particularly pertinent to Mr Johnson. He has faced continual criticism over his referendum battle bus claim that leaving the European Union would allow the UK to take back control of £350 million a week, some of which could be used to boost NHS funding.

Mr Johnson is expected to visit a hospital on Monday to formally announce the new funding and to identify the 20 hospitals to be upgraded.