HFMA response / Evidence submitted to Public Accounts Committee inquiry into NHS financial sustainability

27 February 2019 Policy and research team
1 CPD hour

The HFMA submitted written evidence to the Public Accounts Committee inquiry into NHS Financial Sustainability held on 25th February 2019.

The submission was based on the views of our members and draws on HFMA publications and research.

Key points:

  • The HFMA welcomes the additional funding for the NHS and the vision set out in the NHS long term plan, however the scale of the challenge to return the system to financial sustainability must not be under estimated.
  • The contradiction between integrated system working and individual statutory accountability for NHS organisations needs to be addressed.
  • Workforce availability continues to be a significant challenge in meeting both current provision and the system transformation expected. Health Education England’s workforce strategy needs to deliver appropriately skilled staff, quickly.
  • The current system for managing and funding capital expenditure is too combative, cumbersome and complex. Uncertainty around future levels of capital funding make planning for the future difficult.
  • Historic debt, interest charges and the resultant lack of cash for some organisations needs to be addressed.
The outcomes of the green paper on adult social care and the 2019 spending review are critical to supporting the ambitions of the NHS long term plan.
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