Today, the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, has announced an extra £3 billion funding boost for the NHS to deal with the backlog of cases caused by COVID-19.
The news has been welcomed by Gosport MP, Caroline Dinenage, who has been contacted by concerned constituents worried about how healthcare services will cope over the winter months.
£1 billion of this investment will go towards funding the backlog of cases that have been caused by COVID-19, as treatments have been delayed to ensure that COVID-19 cases are isolated and cared for. £1.5 billion has been ring-fenced to help deal with existing pressures and £500 million for mental health services. On top of this, £325 million will help diagnostics next year, including for cancer services and other illnesses.
Caroline commented:
“I am really pleased that ahead of the Spending Review on Wednesday the Chancellor has already confirmed that the Conservative Government are committed to tackling the key issues that my constituents face.
“This funding is vital to ensure that despite the pandemic, our NHS can continue to check and treat residents and help those who have had their appointments delayed. That they receive the necessary funding for winter months and support those with mental health needs.
“These are exceptional times that call for exceptional measures, and I look forward to hearing more on Wednesday about how we are going to deliver on the people’s priorities.”
Speaking ahead of the Spending Review, Rishi Sunak hinted to Sky News:
“What you will see is an increase in government spending, on day-to-day public services, quite a significant one coming on the increase we had last year. So, there’s absolutely no way in which anyone can say that’s austerity.”
