Starmer: Exhausted NHS staff are facing hidden funding cut
THE NHS faces a ‘hidden’ cut of £30billion as it tries to deal with record waiting lists and the aftermath of Covid, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has warned.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced an end to emergency health spending on coronavirus in the Budget, which was accused of ignoring the NHS.
On a visit to the Royal Derby Hospital, Sir Keir said the public would be ‘astonished’ at the cut while front-line staff were ‘still struggling’ with Covid cases.
‘What’s coming next is the backlog of cases,’ he added. ‘There are 4. million people on waiting lists, understandably not been dealt with in the last year, so the NHS is going to have a really hard year.’ The head of the independent Office for Budget Responsibility, Richard Hughes, said the NHS would have fewer resources to deal with annual re-vaccinations ‘and to catch up on all operations’.
The Royal College of Nursing said it ‘feels like a slap in the face’ and a ‘pitiful’ offer of a one per cent pay rise for NHS staff – about £3. 0 a week – will ‘do nothing to prevent the exodus from nursing’.
The Department of Health said there would be a £7billion rise in non-Covid spending next year, and Boris Johnson insisted ‘huge quantities’ had been invested in the NHS. Labour also accused Mr Sunak of ignoring social care, despite the PM claiming he had a ‘clear plan’. The chancellor said he was ‘committed to finding a cross-party solution’ but shadow care minister Liz Kendall said Labour had not been approached. He also faced questions about £1billion of regeneration funds for 4 towns – 40 of which are in Tory seats, including his own in Richmond, North Yorkshire. Sir Keir said it looked ‘fishy’ but the Ministry of Housing said ‘officials – not ministers’ assess bids for cash.