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| Budget 2017: Philip Hammond says 'we are party of NHS' with £2bn extra to social care | Budget 2017: Philip Hammond says 'we are party of NHS' with £2bn extra to social care |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Philip Hammond said “we are the party of the NHS” as he announced this year’s budget, promising an extra £2bn for social care would help ease pressures faced by the health service. | Philip Hammond said “we are the party of the NHS” as he announced this year’s budget, promising an extra £2bn for social care would help ease pressures faced by the health service. |
| Sidestepping calls from doctors, health bodies and Labour for an urgent direct cash injection into the NHS, the Chancellor announced £325m of funding for controversial sustainability and transformation plans (STPs). | |
| STPs have been drawn up in 44 areas of England as a way of reforming services while saving money, but have proved unpopular in some regions because they will lead to the closure of some hospitals, A&E departments and other services. | STPs have been drawn up in 44 areas of England as a way of reforming services while saving money, but have proved unpopular in some regions because they will lead to the closure of some hospitals, A&E departments and other services. |
| Mr Hammond said £100m would be given to for triage in A&E departments to combat overcrowding which the Government has claimed is due to patients attending hospital when they could be seen by a GP. | Mr Hammond said £100m would be given to for triage in A&E departments to combat overcrowding which the Government has claimed is due to patients attending hospital when they could be seen by a GP. |
| However campaigners have criticised the spending plans as “nowhere near enough” and accused the government of enabling further NHS privatisation by not giving the money directly to the health service. | However campaigners have criticised the spending plans as “nowhere near enough” and accused the government of enabling further NHS privatisation by not giving the money directly to the health service. |
| “Two billion quid for social care sounds a fortune but it is on a par with starving someone for a month then offering them a bowl of cornflakes above what you’ve been giving them. Not enough. Nowhere near enough,” said Alan Taman of Keep Our NHS Public and Doctors for the NHS. | “Two billion quid for social care sounds a fortune but it is on a par with starving someone for a month then offering them a bowl of cornflakes above what you’ve been giving them. Not enough. Nowhere near enough,” said Alan Taman of Keep Our NHS Public and Doctors for the NHS. |
| ‘Handing the money to any third party and not directly to the NHS or local authorities would be yet another slipshod extension of handing this governments’ deep-pocketed mates another slice of the dwindling cake – at everyone else’s expense.” | ‘Handing the money to any third party and not directly to the NHS or local authorities would be yet another slipshod extension of handing this governments’ deep-pocketed mates another slice of the dwindling cake – at everyone else’s expense.” |
| The extra £2bn for social care will be implemented over three years to help ease intense pressures caused by an ageing population combined with bed and staff shortages. | The extra £2bn for social care will be implemented over three years to help ease intense pressures caused by an ageing population combined with bed and staff shortages. |
| The money, with £1 billion promised in 2017/18, follows intense pressure from MPs and councils, but falls short of the levels of funding demanded by some campaigners. | The money, with £1 billion promised in 2017/18, follows intense pressure from MPs and councils, but falls short of the levels of funding demanded by some campaigners. |
| Mr Hammond acknowledged the system was “clearly under pressure”, with the NHS suffering as a consequence. | Mr Hammond acknowledged the system was “clearly under pressure”, with the NHS suffering as a consequence. |
| In his first Budget, he said that, alongside the additional funding, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt and Communities Secretary Sajid Javid will announce measures to identify and support councils which are “struggling” and to ensure more “joined-up working” with the NHS. | In his first Budget, he said that, alongside the additional funding, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt and Communities Secretary Sajid Javid will announce measures to identify and support councils which are “struggling” and to ensure more “joined-up working” with the NHS. |