Provinces face NHS cash cut
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.PATIENTS outside London lost out yesterday as the capital's health authorities had to be cushioned against the continued exodus of people from the city, writes Nicholas Timmins.
The decision underlined the pressure on Virginia Bottomley, Secretary of State for Health, to implement hospital closures proposed in the Tomlinson report.
As regional cash allocations to the NHS were detailed, Mrs Bottomley said 'substantial' further sums had been set aside to improve health care in London.
Overall, regions are getting only a 2.7 per cent cash spending rise in line with the Government's core estimate of inflation. Only the assumption that the Government's near-freeze on pay will hold allows ministers to claim that they have honoured the manifesto commitment of real-terms growth in the NHS as far as health authorities are concerned.
Assuming pay rises are held to 1.5 per cent, health authorities overall will get 0.8 per cent growth on the Government's figures. Tim Yeo, the junior health minister, admitted during Commons questions yesterday that demographic pressures such as the rising numbers of elderly people will add 0.5 per cent to demand.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments