With an election looming, on past form NHS chiefs might have been expected to hold back on driving through ‘unpalatable’ measures to cut spending this year, partly because ministers would not normally want to see unpopular cuts in the run up to polling, and partly in the hope of some relief to come if there is a change of government.
Sadly this does not seem to be the case this year. Ministers seem resigned to a thumping defeat and intent only on blaming NHS failings on Covid and striking doctors, while leaving the biggest possible mess behind them.
For its part, Labour has spent the last 18 months insisting that they don’t see the need to increase NHS spending, claiming “reforms” and ‘doubling the number of scanners’ will somehow solve the problems for free, and promising they will not raise additional funds through taxation.
So with no light visible for NHS managers, staff or patients at the end of a seemingly endless tunnel of austerity, NHS England is therefore once more cracking the whip over the 42 Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) which have for a second year running submitted financial plans for 2024/25 that leave a combined £6 billion deficit.
Full story in The Lowdown, 1 April 2024