Hitesh Dodhia, Superintendent Pharmacist at PharmacyOutlet.co.uk on the Chancellor’s Spring Statement and why it is “a disappointment” where the NHS is concerned…
“Announcing prior to his speech that the Spring Statement would contain ‘no red box, no spending increases, no tax changes,’ Philip Hammond certainly kept to his word with a somewhat watered down speech. Being a more mundane affair than previous years, the Chancellor has decided to break with tradition and save any key announcements or major changes to spending until the new Autumn Budget later in the year.
“Despite delivering a lighter speech than previous iterations, this did not mean that the Spring Statement was void of any noteworthy moments. Upgraded growth projections for the economy and the claim that the UK had reached a ‘turning point’ gave people something to talk about. But for the NHS and healthcare more generally, the speech was a disappointment – failing to announce any new funding commitments that are sorely needed.
“Although the Chancellor did promise to provide the NHS with extra funding ‘if management and unions can reach a deal’, he was unclear about how much this would be and where the money would be spent. And as the NHS tries to claw itself out of the depths of another winter crisis, the Government should instead be announcing more spending and more digital initiatives to help the health service.
“From the pressures of an aging population and nationwide pharmacy closures through to the inefficiencies of the NHS, Philip Hammond refused to address the underlying problems in the healthcare industry. In doing so, the Chancellor has risked entrenching the impact these issues will have on the sector.
“In last year’s inaugural Autumn Budget, the Government stated that it is committed to reforming the NHS. One of its methods for doing so was to fund the new Sustainability and Transformation Plans (STPs), which aim to invest £10 billion into creating ‘an NHS which is fit for the future’. Yet despite this positive step forward, much more needs to be done to alleviate the pressure on healthcare services, and this week’s Spring Statement was a good opportunity to do so – or at very least, Hammond could have provided an update on how the Government’s plan to modernise the NHS is progressing. Unfortunately, he chose to do neither.
“Bringing the NHS into the 21st century is rightly a key priority for Hammond and Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt. Indeed, the healthcare sector as a whole should be embracing new digital solutions as well as focusing on educating the public about already established schemes such as the Electronic Prescription Service (EPS).
“By digitising the prescription processes, EPS helps to alleviate pressure on GPs and pharmacies; it also provides patients with the option to have repeat prescriptions delivered straight to their door, with no extra charge. And yet, research from PharmacyOutlet.co.uk found that 60% of people across the UK do not know what EPS is; this is a clear example of the need to not only introduce more efficient digital solutions – which EPS certainly is – but also to increase awareness and uptake of such initiatives.
“While there have been small steps towards the digital transformation of the NHS, progress is still lacking. Despite the call for change becoming louder, funding to support digital solutions will, for the meantime, have to come from within existing NHS budgets. Holding its breath until later in the year, it is clear that without the Chancellor promising extra funding in the Autumn Budget, the NHS will not be able to fully modernise anytime soon. As day-to-day healthcare becomes more expensive and adds more strain on worn out services, the Government needs to rethink its health policy and fund digital projects now, rather than later.”
