Health & social care leaders use Budget appeal to warn services in ‘precarious condition’
Millions of people are facing “unacceptable delays and difficulty” accessing care, health leaders have warned as they called on Chancellor Philip Hammond to address the situation in next month’s Budget.
Health and care services are “unable to keep up with demand”, according to a coalition representing hundreds of health and care organisations across the UK.
In a letter to the Treasury, the organisations have said the Government is “failing” to meet its statutory obligations.
It points out that millions are waiting for planned operations while other patients are “stuck in hospital”.
Meanwhile the care market is “fragile”, the authors added.
The letter, co-ordinated by the NHS Confederation, which represents organisations across the healthcare system, called on ministers to “revisit” spending plans for the NHS and social care over the next two years.
It states: “The Care Quality Commission has acknowledged that front line services have managed well given the financial constraints of recent years, but has concluded that they are now in a precarious condition.
“These services are already unable to keep up with demand and to meet the standards set out in the NHS Constitution and the requirements under the Care Act. As a result, the government is already failing to meet its statutory obligations and millions now face unacceptable delays and difficulties in accessing treatments, care, information and support.
“We recognise that there will be many calls on public spending but we are clear that without additional resources there will be a further deterioration in what can be provided for patients, service users and carers.”
Niall Dickson, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said: “Ahead of the budget, this is a genuine cry for help from those who are responsible for health and care services.
“The Government is understandably distracted by Brexit, but if it fails to address the points in this letter, there will be a political price, on top of the price already being paid by those who rely on these services.
“Until now services have manged remarkably well given the growing pressures but as the Government’s own regulator has admitted these services are in a fragile state.
“Of course, there is more local services can do to improve the way services are organised, but we are clear – without further funding today’s perilous state will become tomorrow’s tragedy.”
The letter has been signed by people representing a number of organisations including: NHS Confederation, the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, the Association of UK University Hospitals, Carers UK, NHS Providers, the Richmond Group of charities and the Royal College of Emergency Medicine.
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