No guarantee on waiting time targets as pay 'likely to account for a large part' of extra £29bn NHS cash

A RECORD £29billion-a-year boost for the NHS is no guarantee that waiting time targets will be hit, health leaders warned within minutes of the Chancellor finishing her speech.

- By Hanna Geissler Health Editor

Rachel Reeves promised “more appointments, more doctors, more scanners” as she announced a 3% increase in real-terms, day-to-day spending for the health service.

She said it was needed to support the Government's forthcoming 10-year health plan to “back the doctors and nurses we rely on and to make sure the NHS is there whenever we need it”.

Sector leaders welcomed the funds but warned much of the cash would be soaked up by pay hikes and rising medicine costs.

Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said: “The funding boost will help the NHS to cope with rising demand from an ageing population, often with multiple or more complex physical and mental health conditions. But difficult decisions will still need to be made as this additional £29billion won't be enough to cover the increasing cost of new treatments, with staff pay likely to account for a large proportion of it.

Crumbling

“So on its own, this won't guarantee that waiting time targets are met.” Labour has pledged to hit a target of 92% of patients starting routine treatment within 18 weeks from referral - a goal that has not been met for a decade.

This week it was reported that Department of Health modelling shows the NHS is on course to reach a level of 80% by the end of this parliament.

Mr Taylor also said the “flat settlement” left a major shortfall in capital funding to repair and rebuild crumbling facilities and upgrade equipment. The current maintenance backlog bill is almost £14billion.