£25.7m boost to health services (From The Oxford Times)

£25.7m boost to health services

9:10am Thursday 15th December 2011 in Wallingford

THE Government has announced a 2.8 per cent funding increase for Oxfordshire health services next year.

But when the figure is measured against inflation, it represents just a 0.1 per cent increase in real terms.

Health Secretary Andrew Lansley announced the increase for the NHS in the South Central region, which includes Oxfordshire, yesterday.

NHS Oxfordshire, the county’s primary care trust, gets about £900m a year to spend on health care for patients.

The increase represents an extra £25,715,000 for the county.

An NHS Oxfordshire spokesman added: “The Government has announced a 2.8 per cent increase in NHS funding.

“However, this is also the second year running that we are required to contribute national efficiency and productivity savings of £20bn.

“At the same time society is changing – health and social care systems need to change to respond to rising demand from an increasing older population, patient expectations and advances in technology and medicines.

“This means that even though NHS budgets have not been cut and NHS funding will increase next year there are more demands being made on the pot of money the NHS has.

“The impact of this is that the NHS in Oxfordshire will still need to make efficiencies if it is going to continue to meet the demand for its services within tightening budgets.”