26.01.2015
The Health Foundation said the NHS is unlikely to meet its "unrealistically optimistic" productivity targets, and will require a 2.9% above-inflation budget rise every year until 2030 if it is to maintain its current standard of services, the Guardian reports.
As this figure is above the predicted 2.3% annual rise in Britain's gross domestic product, the government will need to divert increasingly greater amounts of funding to the NHS to avoid rationing patient care.
The charity called on the major political parties to prioritise forming a consensus on the NHS's long-term funding needs, and to consider new ways of delivering healthcare ahead of the coming election.
"The next government will have to act immediately in order to secure the future of the health service in years to come," said the Health Foundation's Chief Economist Anita Charlesworth.
Health Foundation Says Productivity Targets 'Unrealistic'
The NHS will need to find an extra £65bn in the next 15 years or be forced to reduce the quality or availability of its care, a healthcare charity has warned.The Health Foundation said the NHS is unlikely to meet its "unrealistically optimistic" productivity targets, and will require a 2.9% above-inflation budget rise every year until 2030 if it is to maintain its current standard of services, the Guardian reports.
As this figure is above the predicted 2.3% annual rise in Britain's gross domestic product, the government will need to divert increasingly greater amounts of funding to the NHS to avoid rationing patient care.
The charity called on the major political parties to prioritise forming a consensus on the NHS's long-term funding needs, and to consider new ways of delivering healthcare ahead of the coming election.
"The next government will have to act immediately in order to secure the future of the health service in years to come," said the Health Foundation's Chief Economist Anita Charlesworth.
Expert Opinion
The issues raised by the Health Foundation concerning the future of NHS funding are worrying, as a failure to provide the resources the national health service requires to continue operating correctly, can put the health and safety of patients at risk. <br/> <br/>“We have seen first-hand the problems that can emerge as a result of underfunding and overstretched care departments. It is vital the funding needs of the NHS are addressed so the impact on patients is reduced and the healthcare they receive is of the quality they expect.” Julianne Moore - Partner
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