Labour will refuse to provide the NHS with the additional funding demanded by the health service until major changes are made to reduce wasteful care, according to Shadow Health Secretary Andy Burnham.
Speaking at the Foundation Trust Network annual conference, Mr Burnham has insisted the NHS must tackle glaring inefficiencies before it could expect to receive additional funding. NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens claimed last month that the NHS would require an additional £8 billion a year in funding to meet increasing demands on its resources.
Labour promised, in a pledge announced at its annual conference, to spend £2.5 billion a year more than the Conservatives on the NHS. Mr Burnham’s comments underline the expectation from political parties that the NHS will have to demonstrate greater efficiency and deliver better value for money in return for additional funding.
