Responding to the Government’s announcement that the NHS will receive another £1.8bn for capital infrastructure investment, and address concerns about doctors’ pensions, President of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), Professor Russell Viner said:
The Prime Minister’s pledge for a further £1.8bn for the NHS is a positive move. It is encouraging that there is some funding earmarked for children and young people services among the 20 hospitals listed but there remains a significant amount to do to help an NHS that is under serious pressure across the country. Services for children and young people span hospital, community and local authority settings, which have faced grave funding cuts in recent years. We urge the Prime Minister to also keep joined-up solutions at the heart of any future plans.
The Government’s recognition that there is also a serious issue retaining doctors because of how their pensions are punitively taxed is welcome. It is not right that experienced doctors are feeling forced to leave the NHS and we await the detail of the Government’s proposals to resolve this growing crisis.