Queen's Speech December 2019 - NHS Funding Bill and NHS Long Term Plan

NHS Funding Bill and NHS Long Term Plan

“For the first time, the National Health Service’s multi-year funding settlement, agreed earlier this year, will be enshrined in law. Steps will be taken to grow and support the National Health Service’s workforce and a new visa will ensure qualified doctors, nurses and health professionals have fast-track entry to the United Kingdom. Hospital car parking charges will be removed for those in greatest need.”

NHS FUNDING BILL

• ●  The Government is committed to increasing investment to deliver a world- class health service that provides high quality care for all.

• ●  Early legislation will be brought forward to enshrine in law the multi-year funding settlement for the NHS, agreed earlier this year, that will see a £33.9 billion increase in cash terms by 2023-24.

• ●  This is the largest cash settlement in NHS history and the first time any Government has delivered such a commitment in legislation.

  DELIVERING THE NHS LONG TERM PLAN

  • ●  In September 2019 the NHS published a set of recommendations for legislative changes that would enable the NHS to go faster and further in realising the ambitions set out in the 10-year NHS Long Term Plan.

  • ●  The Government welcomes the NHS’s leadership of this work, and all the input from people across the health and care system and is committed to supporting the implementation of the NHS Long Term Plan.

  • ●  The Government is considering the NHS’s recommendations thoroughly and will bring forward detailed proposals shortly. This will include measures to tackle barriers the NHS has told Government it faces.

  • ●  This will lead to draft legislation that will accelerate the Long Term Plan for the NHS, transforming patient care and future-proofing our NHS.

  • ●  Wider reform will also be supported through transforming hospitals and investing in staff. This includes delivering 50,000 more nurses, with non- repayable maintenance payments of at least £5,000 per year for nursing, midwifery and some allied health professional students, 6,000 more doctors and 6,000 more primary care professionals in general practice.

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● The NHS People Plan will ensure that qualified doctors, nurses and allied health professionals with a job offer from the NHS, and who have been trained to a recognised standard, will be offered fast-track entry, reduced visa fees and dedicated support to come to the UK.

Other measures

• ●  40 new hospitals will be funded and built over the next ten years. This is on top of the 20 hospital upgrades announced in the summer. The hospital building projects will provide a range of new healthcare facilities to replace poor estate and provide better patient environment, including emergency and specialist care, and women’s and children’s services.

• ●  Under this Government there will be 50 million more appointments in GP surgeries every year. These will enable more people to access care and reduce the time that patients are left waiting.

• ●  The Government will deliver its commitment to providing free hospital parking for those in greatest need. The Government will prioritise and carefully define those groups subject to a more detailed assessment of financial impact and those already identified in the NHS Car Parking Principles. This will include blue badge holders; frequent outpatient attendees; visitors with relatives who are gravely ill or have an extended stay in hospital, or carers of such where appropriate and; staff working shifts that mean public transport cannot be used.

• ●  With cross-government support, the Government will aim to introduce legislation at the earliest possible opportunity in 2020 to increase the surcharge to ensure it covers the full costs to the NHS of treating surcharge payers, in line with the manifesto commitment.

• ●  As the UK leaves the EU, we will forge strong new trade deals with countries around the world. However, the NHS is not, and never will be, for sale. The Government is committed to the guiding principles of the NHS – that it is universal and free at the point of need. The price the NHS pays for drugs is not on the table.

  Territorial extent and application

● Legislation to enshrine the NHS funding settlement and to implement the NHS Long Term Plan would extend and apply to England only. NHS and health policy is devolved to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

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Key facts

• ●  The NHS were asked where legislative change could help speed up the implementation of the Long Term Plan. On 26 September 2019, the NHS put forward its recommendations, which were endorsed by key leaders in the health and care system, including UNISON, the LGA and the Royal College of Nurses.

• ●  NHS England and NHS Improvement carried out an engagement process before making these recommendations with over 190,000 written responses from individuals, and organisations representing different parts of the health and social care system.

• ●  The Long Term Plan sets out how the Government will improve the prevention, detection, treatment and recovery of major diseases, including cancer, heart attacks and strokes. In 10 years, 55,000 more people each year will survive cancer for at least five years and up to 150,000 heart attacks, strokes & dementia cases will have been prevented.