Professor Graham Cookson responds to Chancellor’s Spending Review announcement boosting NHS spend by 3%.
Earlier today, UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves unveiled her long-awaited spending review, which included an extra £29 billion in spending for the NHS.
Commenting on the Executive Order, Professor Graham Cookson, Chief Executive of the Office of Health Economics, said:
“Today’s announcement of significant new funding for the NHS is welcome news and a clear sign of the government’s commitment to tackling the deep-rooted challenges in our health system – including falling productivity.
But while the headline figure grabs attention, the detail matters. The Chancellor claims this funding boost will enable the NHS to deliver 2% productivity growth each year.
What’s missing is how we define productivity in the NHS. A deeper dive into this will be a vital aspect of identifying the right solutions.
The government’s own analysis also shows this investment won’t be enough to eliminate the waiting list backlog. And asking hospitals to fund pay increases from existing budgets comes at an opportunity cost of delivering improved care.
What’s increasingly clear is that long-term sustainability will only come by funding prevention—properly, proactively, and from outside the traditional health budget.
A healthier, more resilient population means greater workforce participation; higher national productivity; less acute pressure on the NHS. Prevention has to reframed, not as a cost but as a return-generating investment in our economic future. After all, population health isn’t just a moral imperative; it’s an economic one.”
Notes to Editors
For interviews and further comment, please contact lramanayake@ohe.org