Rachel Reeves has pledged a £6bn investment aimed at accelerating tests and treatments within the NHS, following substantial year-on-year budget increases for the health service.
The additional funding will facilitate new scanners, ambulances, and urgent treatment centres, with the goal of delivering up to four million more tests and procedures over the next five years.
This announcement follows the chancellor's emphasis on NHS funding in her recent spending review, where she allocated an additional £29bn annually to the NHS budget. However, this increase comes at the expense of other areas of public spending.
The £6bn boost is intended to support the Government's objective of reducing NHS waiting lists in England, according to the chancellor.
“Over a decade of underinvestment from the previous government put the NHS on its knees, with people across the country unable to get the care they need. We are investing in Britain’s renewal, and we will turn that around,” Ms Reeves said.
She added: “Part of our record investment will deliver four million tests, scans and procedures, so hard-working people can get the healthcare they and their families need.
“There is no strong economy without a strong NHS, and we’ll deliver on our Plan for Change to end the hospital backlog, improve living standards and get more money in people’s pockets.”
The latest spending commitment will help patients get access to diagnostic scans and treatment in places such as shopping centres and high streets, speeding up their diagnoses.
The Government hopes this will help to cut NHS waiting lists, meeting Labour’s goal of ensuring the health service carries out 92 per cent of routine operations within 18 weeks.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: “Since taking office we have been relentless in our drive to cut waiting times for patients, delivering over 3.6 million extra elective care appointments and reducing the overall waiting list by over 200,000.
“The £6bn investment we are announcing today will generate millions more vital diagnostic tests, scans and procedures for patients across the country.”
On Wednesday evening, Ms Reeves said the Government was “confident” it could meet its pledge to reduce waiting lists after giving the NHS a 3 per cent annual increase in funding at the spending review.
Some health leaders are, however, sceptical that the Government will meet its target, despite the funding boost provided at the spending review.
Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, which represents all health organisations, warned “difficult decisions will still need to be made as this additional £29bn won’t be enough to cover the increasing cost of new treatments, with staff pay likely to account for a large proportion of it”.
He added: “So, on its own, this won’t guarantee that waiting time targets are met.”
Sarah Woolnough, chief executive of the King’s Fund charity, said: “The chancellor said she wants the public to have an NHS there when they need it.
“It is hard to see how all the things she mentions: faster ambulance times, more GP appointments, and adequate mental health services and more can be met on this settlement alone.
“Particularly when large parts of this additional funding will be absorbed by existing rising costs, such as the higher cost of medicines, which are currently being negotiated, and covering staff pay deals.”
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