New survey findings from NHS Providers reveal the daunting
financial pressures facing the NHS ahead of a landmark review of
the health service by Lord Darzi.
The survey of NHS trust leaders found their finances had taken a
series of hits – through industrial action, erosion due to
inflation, eye-watering efficiency demands, and relentless
operational pressure on the service.
The results reveal:
- Over half (51%) of respondents were extremely concerned about
delivering operational priorities within their organisation's
2024/25 financial budget.
- Over nine in ten respondents (92%) felt that the scale of the
efficiency challenge in 2024/25 is more challenging than 2023/24.
- 44% of respondents forecast their trust's financial position
for 2024/25 as a deficit, 45% forecast their position as
breakeven and 11% forecast their position as a surplus.
- Almost a third of respondents (32%) were confident that their
system will deliver its recovery targets to reduce waits for
physical health services in 2024/25 while only 8% said they were
confident about recovery targets to reduce long waits in mental
health services.
- Of the respondents who deliver A&E services, nearly half
(46%) said it is likely that their trust will meet the new target
of seeing 78% of A&E attendees within four hours by March
2025.
The chief executive of NHS Providers, Sir Hartley said:
“The Prime Minister's comments today echo what trust leaders have
been telling us- the shockwaves of the longest and deepest
squeeze in NHS financial history, a growing mismatch between
capacity and demand, major workforce challenges and the
after-effects of the Covid-19 pandemic are still being felt
throughout the health service.
“The impact on children and young people is particularly
worrying. Our recent
report found that we're in danger of seeing a forgotten
generation of young people. Too many young lives are being
blighted by delays to accessing vital NHS care.
“There are real deep-seated worries about NHS funding and how
those pressures are intensifying. Budgets and services are
stretched to the limit in the face of mounting demand and
pressure. It's never felt tougher.
“Time and again, trust leaders tell us they want to see
long-term, multi-year investment in the health service which
allows them to plan for the future instead of this stop-start
approach to NHS funding which leaves them constantly worrying
about budget cuts followed by quick-fix, short-term funding
announcements.
“Our survey also showed trust leaders are seeking – and finding -
solutions for better care.
“It's incredibly impressive how trust leaders and their teams are
responding to the productivity challenge. You can see the
benefits of collaboration, incentivising staff, using digital
tools to help them work more efficiently. That's all happening
but it can only go so far without significant strategic
investment in infrastructure and digital technologies.
“We need to recognise the value of investment in the NHS – its
impact as a catalyst for economic growth, employment and
research, and the importance of funding infrastructure, digital
and other technology to drive productivity. We need to see a more
strategic, long-term mindset that maps out a route to a
sustainable, high quality, high value NHS.”
Ends
Notes to editors:
- In May 2024, we surveyed trust
chief executives and finance directors, asking for their views on
a variety of financial and operational challenges in 2024/25. We
received responses from 114 different trusts, accounting for over
half (55%) of the provider sector (209 trusts), from all regions
and trust type in England.
- Please contact the NHS Providers
press office for the full survey briefing.
- NHS Providers is the membership
organisation for the NHS hospital, mental health, community and
ambulance services that treat patients and service users in the
NHS.
- We help those NHS foundation trusts
and trusts to deliver high-quality, patient-focused care by
enabling them to learn from each other, acting as their public
voice and helping shape the system in which they operate.
