Chancellor pledges extra £3bn for NHS

THE NHS will receive an extra £3.3billion in each of the next two years as the health service grapples with inflationary pressures, the Chancellor has said.

Jeremy Hunt told the Commons during his autumn statement he had been assured the funding would mean the health service can hit its key priorities.

NHS England had forecast a £7billion shortfall in its funding next year which it cannot plug with efficiency measures alone.

However, health bosses are understood to agree the new funding is adequate against a backdrop where economists hope October’s inflation was the peak.

Efficiencies are also still being found across the health service and due to the streamlining of local health bodies.

Current funding settlements mean the NHS is already set to receive £152 billion in 2022/23, £157 billion the following year and £162 billion in 2024/25.

Mr Hunt said the commitment of £3.3 billion each year for the NHS together with newly announced £4.7 billion for social care showed a “Conservative government putting the NHS first”.