Commenting on the newly announced 2025 UK Budget, Professor Graham Cookson, Chief Executive of the Office of Health Economics, said: “The NHS’ long-term sustainability will only come…
Commenting on the newly announced 2025 UK Budget, Professor Graham Cookson, Chief Executive of the Office of Health Economics, said:
“The NHS’ long-term sustainability will only come by funding prevention—properly, proactively, and from outside the traditional health budget. The government’s commitment towards expanding the Soft Drinks Industry Levy is one commendable step in this direction – but how do we divert those gains into more preventative investment for the NHS?
Other countries have seen success in redirecting gains from ‘sin taxes’ into preventative health measures. The Chancellor has stated that this sugar tax will raise close to £45 million: how and where this will be redirected into the health service is the next question to be asked.
Easing pressure off the NHS also requires sustained investment, not just one-off measures. The £300 million new capital investment is a necessary step, but it’s critical that these new, high-profile investments don’t crowd out the ongoing maintenance and backlog the NHS infrastructure so desperately requires.”