Full Story in The Guardian 29 March 2018
NHS plans for the coming year will be impossible to deliver despite Theresa May’s promise to accelerate long-term funding, trusts have said.
Amid mounting pressure, the prime minister pledged on Tuesday to provide details of a multiyear funding settlement imminently but the trade association NHS Providers says it offers no instant relief to its members.
The association says trusts are being asked to make £4bn worth of savings – 20% higher than the current year – in 2018-19 and, to meet targets, will probably have to treat 2.4 million more A&E patients within four hours.
Just 5% of trust leaders surveyed for its Tough Task report, published on Thursday, were confident their emergency departments would be able to meet the stipulated level. Only 14% expressed confidence they would be able to stop waiting lists lengthening for planned operations, as required by another target.