NHS funding boost is not enough, senior healthcare experts warn

The NHS funding boost is not enough, senior healthcare experts warn.

Some 100 senior NHS doctors and nurses have written an open letter to the UK Prime Minister, Theresa May, to let her know that this hugely-anticipated NHS funding boost is simply not enough.

We’ve been calling for an NHS funding boost for a long time now, and although it’s good to see that the government has finally listened to reason and accepted that the NHS is stretched beyond its means, senior healthcare professionals are downplaying the announcement on the basis that more funds are still needed.

Open letter: NHS funding boost is not enough

More than 100 senior NHS consultants, professors, doctors, junior doctors and nurses have reportedly written the open letter to the PM to say that the funding NHS funding boost is simply not enough. The 3.4% increase, thought to be funded by increased taxes, is less than the 4% that is apparently required at the very minimum to ensure the NHS does not deteriorate, and to ensure patient safety is maintained.

Although the difference may feel small, the impact in terms of funding is actually huge, with experts insisting that the failure to meet the 4% minimum will mean longer waiting times, bed shortages, staff vacancies and other dangers to patients.

The cycle must be broken

We have been saying for a long time now that the cycle of NHS funding cuts and the lack of adequate funding boosts must be broken. Without adequate funding, the NHS will be putting patients’ health and lives in danger, which will lead to more instances of medical negligence, and subsequently larger volumes of claims.

This is untenable.

The NHS funding boost must be enough to protect patient safety and ensure people can access a public health service that is not putting lives at risk as a result of under-funding.

Without the minimum amount of funding needed, patients will remain at risk, and people’s lives will be changed forever by negligence.