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Trust deficit held back forward view by a year, says health secretary

Trust deficit held back forward view by a year, says health secretary
By Carolyn Wickware
16 June 2017



The trust deficit has delayed the roll out Five Year Forward View by a year, the health secretary has said.

Speaking to delegates at NHS Confederation’s conference yesterday, Jeremy Hunt said it was a ‘terrific achievement’ that the trust sector reduced it’s deficit from £2.5bn to £800m.

But he said allowing the trust deficit ‘to mushroom’ in the first place ‘probably delayed the roll out of the Five Year Forward View by a year’.

The trust deficit has delayed the roll out Five Year Forward View by a year, the health secretary has said.

Speaking to delegates at NHS Confederation’s conference yesterday, Jeremy Hunt said it was a ‘terrific achievement’ that the trust sector reduced it’s deficit from £2.5bn to £800m.

But he said allowing the trust deficit ‘to mushroom’ in the first place ‘probably delayed the roll out of the Five Year Forward View by a year’.

Speaking earlier in the conference, Jim Mackey, head of NHS Improvement said the NHS had achieved ‘the impossible’ under ‘incredible pressure’.

Mr Hunt added that by reducing the deficit the Government has been able to ‘invest significantly more in mental health, general practice and the roll out of the STPs and the transformation plans that we all know are absolutely vital to the future sustainability of the NHS’.

Later in his speech, Hunt said the Government’s ‘number one priority’ is increasing capital funding for the NHS but added that any such increases are linked to economic growth.

He said: ‘We've seen a very significant change in the last three years but that is only possible on the back of an economy which is growing on the back of maybe three million new jobs.

‘So I don't think it's an argument about austerity or no austerity. It's an argument about getting the policies right so we can continue to grow the economy so that we can put more money in the NHS.

‘But I can assure you that putting money into the NHS is one of the highest priorities for this government as the economy continues to improve.’

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