The UK Government has announced £200m NHS funding to safeguard the health service during the historically challenging winter period.
This announcement follows a meeting held by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay with clinical leaders and NHS chiefs, aimed at strategising ways to alleviate the pressures on urgent and emergency care while safeguarding waiting list targets.
Winter is traditionally the busiest time for the NHS, as it grapples with heightened demands stemming from flu, COVID-19, seasonal illnesses, and the added challenge of industrial action.
To address these concerns, the government has commenced planning earlier than ever before, striving to guarantee that patients have access to the care they require.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak expressed his unwavering support for the NHS, emphasising the government’s proactive approach to tackle the challenges posed by the winter season.
He stated: “Patients can be reassured that I will always back the NHS so that those who most need help and support will get the care they need.
“Winter is the most challenging time for the health service, which is why we’ve been planning for it all year – with huge government investment to fund new ambulances, beds and virtual wards.
“This extra £200m will bolster the health service during its busiest period while protecting elective care so we can keep cutting waiting lists.”
How will the NHS funding optimise winter care?
This NHS funding injection builds upon the urgent and emergency care recovery plan introduced earlier this year, which was supported by a substantial £1 billion allocation.
The plan sought to augment the healthcare system’s capacity by providing an additional 5,000 beds, 800 new ambulances, and the establishment of 10,000 virtual wards.
Significant progress has already been made since the plan’s initiation. As of July 2022:
- Category 2 ambulance response times have been reduced by an impressive 27 minutes;
- The healthcare system has added 2,500 more general and acute beds and 9,700 virtual ward beds; and
- The number of individuals who are medically fit for discharge but remain in the hospital has decreased by 1,500.
In addition to the urgent care plan, the government has also implemented the primary care recovery plan, which aims to free up 15 million GP appointments, effectively alleviating the 8am rush.
Significant progress has already been achieved under the elective recovery plan, with two-year and 18-month waiting times having been eliminated thus far.
Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay echoed this sentiment, highlighting the immense challenges the NHS faces during the winter season and the government’s determination to prepare in advance.
He said: “I know winter brings immense challenges for the NHS, which is why we are working with health leaders to make sure we are prepared earlier.
“We are working closely with trusts to see how we can continue to use technology and new ways of working to strengthen health and social services alongside the thousands of new hospital beds and hundreds of new ambulances we are already providing.
“Yesterday, I heard and witnessed first-hand how all parts of the NHS are coming together to make sure it is resilient to winter pressures for years to come.”
Additional financial support will be made available
To complement this NHS funding, the government has allocated £40m to enhance social care capacity, improve admissions avoidance services, and expedite discharge rates, with a focus on areas facing the most urgent and emergency care challenges.
This funding is part of the £600m social care winter workforce package, and local authorities in high-pressure integrated care systems have been invited to submit proposals.
Local authorities can utilise this £40m to procure additional services aimed at preventing hospital admissions, providing more home care packages, and increasing specialist dementia support in the community. The goal is to reduce hospitalsation rates and expedite patient recovery.
In a previous allocation, the government provided £50m to local authorities to support older individuals and those with disabilities in living safely and independently at home, ultimately reducing waiting times and improving care.
