Press release: NHS Confederation responds to the Pre-Budget Report and the Comprehensive Spending Review
09 Oct 2007
Commenting on the government's pre-budget report and comprehensive spending review, Nigel Edwards, Director of Policy at the NHS Confederation which represents over 95% of the organisations that make up the NHS, said:
"We welcome the extra investment in public services announced in today's pre-budget report and comprehensive spending review. The extra four per cent increase in NHS funding over the next three years will help us face a challenging financial future and continue to improve the health service for patients.
"Our members recognise that the service has benefited from an unprecedented increase in funding, and overall, receives a large portion of extra public spending.
"However, trusts will find the three per cent efficiency saving target a real challenge, especially those who have recently emerged from financial deficit.
"Although there has been a tendency to criticise the NHS on value for money, recent reviews have suggested that the service has in fact made significant productivity gains, due to increases in the quality of care. Further improvements in productivity require serious redesign of clinical processes. This must be led locally and will take time to deliver sustainable results.
"We welcome the extra funding for adult social care services and the announcement of a forthcoming green paper."
Notes for editors
The NHS Confederation represents more than 95% of the organisations that make up the NHS. Its members include the majority of NHS acute trusts, ambulance trusts, foundation trusts, mental health trusts, primary care trusts, special health authorities and strategic health authorities in England; trusts and local health boards in Wales; and health and social service trusts and boards in Northern Ireland.
Contact details
Contact Niall Smith 020 7074 3304 or 077 6777 0309 or Ruth Kennedy 020 7074 3312 or 078 8447 3086. For out of hours media enquiries, please call the Duty Press Officer on 07880 500726.
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