Henry Smith MP has welcomed the launch of the NHS Long-Term Plan (on Monday, 7th January); an important moment for patients in Crawley and across the country.
The publication of the plan follows the announcement last year that the NHS would receive £20.5 billion extra by 2023-24. In return, the NHS was asked to develop a plan for how to spend this additional funding to transform patient care and make sure every penny of taxpayers’ money is spent wisely.
Henry said;
“The Long-Term Plan for the NHS will protect the future of the National Health Service for generations to come by ensuring every penny of the accompanying £20.5 billion of extra funding is spent wisely.
“I’m pleased that it’s been developed by the NHS, ensuring it will work for both patients and staff. Workforce is at the heart of the plan, with tens of thousands more doctors, nurses and other health professionals improving access to healthcare for people in Crawley and nationally.
“This historic funding increase underpinning the plan is due to the balanced approach to the economy – proving that the NHS is our number one spending priority.”
The plan is based on a new focus on prevention – keeping people out of hospital by improving their health and investing £4.5 billion in primary and community care, supporting GPs, health visitors and community nurses in Crawley and around the country.
The plan will ensure that the NHS is always there for you and your family, from continuing to improve maternity safety to increasing health and social care integration to support older people.
It will also speed up the diagnosis and improve the treatment of serious conditions like cancer and stroke, increasing the NHS workforce and bringing the NHS into the digital age.
Henry continued;
“Shortly after publication of the plan I was pleased to question the Health & Social Care Secretary, Matt Hancock, in the House of Commons to urge for continued working with charities and the wider voluntary sector to deliver greater outcomes for patients.
“As Chair of the respective All-Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs) on Blood Cancer, and Heart & Circulatory Diseases, this is a cause I will continue to pursue.”
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