What this budget offers

by Professor Judith Smith, Professor of Health Policy and Management

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Birmingham

“For the NHS, this Budget offers little beyond whatever impact the extra funding for social care will bring. There is funding to have more GPs based in A&E departments, and some money to help make changes to local NHS buildings and facilities. Overall however, for the NHS, any respite from this Budget is I think likely to be slight, and temporary in nature.”  

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This Budget brings some welcome and much-needed relief for social care, given the major cuts this sector has suffered over recent years.  The announcement of £2 billion of new funding for social care over the next three years presents local councils with the opportunity to put in place services to help relieve the major pressure that the NHS has been experiencing in recent months.  

However, it is important to note that the current annual funding gap for social care has been calculated by experts as being almost £2 billion per year, so the announcement today is in effect about a third of what is really needed.

For the NHS, this Budget offers little beyond whatever impact the extra funding for social care will bring.  There is funding to have more GPs based in A&E departments, and some money to help make changes to local NHS buildings and facilities. Overall however, for the NHS, any respite from this Budget is I think likely to be slight, and temporary in nature.