Mr Cameron's shameless 'promise' to provide a 'seven-day a week' NHS has rightly been condemned by the BMA, the doctor's association. What Mr Cameron needs to demonstrate his how he would fill the £30 bn gap in funding that will develop by 2020. Unless any of the political parties can explain that then their promises are empty rhetoric.
The coalition government has effectively cut funding for the NHS at a time when demand on its services is increasing. Mr Cameron was quick to boast in his interview with Jeremy Paxman this week that spending on the NHS has increased. What he failed to say was that it was by just 0.9% per year, the lowest levels on record. With 40% cuts in local authority funding leading to 20% cuts in social care the burden on the NHS has increased. This is a direct result of government policies. In addition the NHS has had to find £20 bn in 'efficiency savings' at a time of complex 'top down' reorganisation imposed by the government - a government that promised there would be no 'top down' reorganisation. It broke the promise to 'ring fence' funding; it broke the promise for no 'top down' reorganisation, with the result that the NHS is on the brink of crisis.
So what does the Tory party offer? They say that the £30 bn will be found through 'efficiency savings'. It has got to the point where there is little left of a credible strategy for the NHS. It is head- in-the-sand time and the promises offered are worthless unless they can be backed by a credible financial plan.
The crisis in the NHS is of the government's making. Their twists and turns and promises are shameless.
We need to hear credible policies on the NHS from the leaders of the main political parties. Until they provide them, their promises are worthless.
The coalition government has effectively cut funding for the NHS at a time when demand on its services is increasing. Mr Cameron was quick to boast in his interview with Jeremy Paxman this week that spending on the NHS has increased. What he failed to say was that it was by just 0.9% per year, the lowest levels on record. With 40% cuts in local authority funding leading to 20% cuts in social care the burden on the NHS has increased. This is a direct result of government policies. In addition the NHS has had to find £20 bn in 'efficiency savings' at a time of complex 'top down' reorganisation imposed by the government - a government that promised there would be no 'top down' reorganisation. It broke the promise to 'ring fence' funding; it broke the promise for no 'top down' reorganisation, with the result that the NHS is on the brink of crisis.
So what does the Tory party offer? They say that the £30 bn will be found through 'efficiency savings'. It has got to the point where there is little left of a credible strategy for the NHS. It is head- in-the-sand time and the promises offered are worthless unless they can be backed by a credible financial plan.
The crisis in the NHS is of the government's making. Their twists and turns and promises are shameless.
We need to hear credible policies on the NHS from the leaders of the main political parties. Until they provide them, their promises are worthless.
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