NHS AT 75: Health secretary refuses to just accept Conservative austerity cuts contributed to well being companies woes

The well being secretary has refused to just accept Conservative spending cuts have performed a task in issues confronted by the well being service – blaming an ageing inhabitants, rising prices and the pandemic as a substitute.

In an unique interview with Sky News’ Beth Rigby, Steve Barclay rejected the findings of a King’s Fund report from April, which stated the well being service had “declined since 2010, as a result of much lower funding increases, limited funds for capital investment and neglect of workforce planning”.

When the quote was put to him, he stated: “In the period between 2010 and 15, when there was a coalition government, we were dealing with the consequences of the financial crash under the previous government in 2008. And difficult decisions had to be taken in that period.”

Asked by Beth Rigby if that amounted to an acknowledgement that funding was a part of the issue he stated: “Let me finish. Of all the departments that the Cameron-Clegg government protected, actually Health was more protected than other departments.”

“But it is the case, we’ve had an older population, medical advances, costs have increased,” he added.

Read extra: 90% of individuals do not assume the NHS will enhance

Pressed repeatedly on the query of whether or not spending cuts have been a contributory issue within the rising ready lists and poor efficiency of the well being service, Mr Barclay stated: “We’re investing in our workforce, in our NHS estate, in the latest technology. That is how we build a sustainable NHS for the future.”

When Beth Rigby requested whether or not his final message to the general public was to “keep the faith”?, Mr Barclay responded: “Yes”.

Addressing the seventy fifth anniversary of the well being service, Mr Barclay stated: “I think the NHS really is at the heart of our national life. So whilst its scale has changed, its ability to save lives and treat people has advanced massively. It’s also stayed very true to itself, and if you look at, for example, the late Her Majesty the Queen awarding the George Cross to the NHS, that just underscores just how central it is to the British public.”

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He additionally indicated a shifting focus, with a rising emphasis on prevention in addition to remedy:

“I think the NHS will need to evolve much more on to prevention, rather than simply looking at treatments as we have the pressure of a growing older population, also people living with multiple conditions, 1 in 4 of the British public now have two or more conditions and that’s why we’re focused through our major conditions strategy, looking at treating people more holistically.

“That additionally performs into, for instance, scientific coaching. And when we’ve the long run workforce plan, we’ll have a look at the significance of basic coaching alongside specialism so it might want to evolve, however a part of that evolution I believe might be far more targeted on prevention and treating situations early as a result of should you determine a well being situation early, not solely are the affected person outcomes so a lot better, but additionally that’s far cheaper to deal with.”

Can we mend the NHS? Watch a particular programme at 1800 with Mark Austin on Sky News