PM promises new NHS plan

In April, health and social care secretary Jeremy Hunt was reported to have written to fellow Conservative MPs asking for views on funding the NHS. He is said to have promised that he would bring forward funding solutions by the summer, together with a green paper on the future of social care.

And it emerged that a cross-party group of MPs, which includes former ministers, was urging the government to make national insurance a tax dedicated to funding the NHS.

Speaking at the House of Commons Liaison Committee in March, Mrs May said new funding must be complemented by reductions in variations in care quality; more integration between health and social care; and greater accountability for every pound spent.

‘We also need to get away from this annual approach to the NHS budget and recognise that for the NHS to plan and manage effectively, we need to get away from those annual top-ups of the budget. We do need to have a sustainable, long-term plan that should build on the work of the Five-year forward view, but we should look beyond it to a plan that allows the NHS to realise greater productivity and efficiency gains.’

Mrs May added that she wanted to build a consensus on the plan, which she said should be brought forward quickly – the NHS could not wait until next year’s spending review.