Tackling inequalities is vital for making NHS sustainable health leaders warn

Responding to Secretary of State for Health and Social Care’s announcement to divert billions of pounds to deprived areas to improve NHS services, Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said:

“NHS leaders will welcome the government’s commitment to target investment into areas with entrenched health inequalities. Addressing these inequalities through the government’s three shifts is a vital part of improving everyone’s experiences of care and putting the NHS on a sustainable footing in the long term. Keeping people healthier and out of hospital by increasing prevention and moving care closer to home is essential for both the NHS and patients as it will reduce demand on hospitals, reduce waiting times and save taxpayers money. While a key part of this will be driving down elective waiting times, we must ensure this doesn't translate to an expansion of hospital services when the goal is to provide more services more cost-effectively in primary and community care.

“In order to achieve these shifts we know that primary and community care services must be bolstered, including tackling the existing workforce and funding challenges. These are issues which have left practices in underserved communities struggling for funding, with many already having been forced to close.  That is why we also welcome the pledge to review the funding formula for general practice. 

“But it is essential that this review is not treated as a simple exercise in redistribution of existing funding but rather a greater share of new funding going to those practices facing the greatest levels of need from the populations they serve.”