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20 October 2010
The Government has halted the expansion of free prescriptions for patients with long-term conditions as part of its spending review for the period between 2011-12 to 2014-15 . Details of the spending review were published on 20th October, revealing that the overall NHS budget will increase by 0.4% in real terms. However, along with halting the expansion of free prescriptions, the Government has also announced that plans for one to one nursing for cancer patients and a one-week wait for cancer diagnostics are on hold. On top of this, to meet the rising costs of healthcare and increasing demand on its services, the NHS will have to release up to £20 billion of annual efficiency savings over the next four years. Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said, “The Spending Review reinforces our historic commitment to protect health spending and means that funding for the NHS will increase in real terms in every year of this Parliament. Due to the deficit and the increasing demands on NHS and care services we have had to make difficult decisions about where this money is spent and we have to make every penny count.” “That is why we have chosen to invest in supporting social care and reablement – honouring our commitment to protect the most vulnerable in our society. And ultimately a better integrated health and care system will mean a more efficient system that delivers savings in the longer term – as more people live independently and are discharged from hospitals sooner.” “NHS organisations have already started a wide-ranging efficiency drive to make savings that can be redirected into patient care. And we also want to see a 33 per cent real terms cut in the administration budget, saving around £1.9 billion. But that is not enough. The NHS budget will have to stretch further than ever before in these difficult times – and so reform isn't an option, it's a necessity in order to sustain and improve our NHS. The proposals I set out this summer will cut waste and bureaucracy and put patients and doctors in control to build a high quality health service.” More information on the spending review is available from www.dh.gov.uk/en/Aboutus/Features/DH_120689.