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NHS England boss Simon Stevens warned yesterday that emergency cash will not be enough to head off a “public backlash” over the health service funding crisis.
The chief executive attacked the government’s “boom-bust” approach which has seen Chancellor George Osborne earmark an emergency £2 billion to plaster over the cracks.
In an interview with the Financial Times Mr Stevens said more annual cash was needed to allow for proper planning and avert a “heavily constrained squeeze.”
He predicted that if politicians do not respond there will be “some form of public backlash” — followed by a piecemeal “catch-up” afterwards.
An NHS report predicted a minimum shortfall of £8bn a year even if hugely optimistic targets for £22bn in “efficiency” savings are met.
The Tories claim they will find an extra £1.25bn a year for front-line services while Labour says it will plough in £2.5bn annually by taxing the rich — but not until 2017.
