Asked by: Seamus Logan (Scottish National Party - Aberdeenshire North and Moray East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make it his policy to take steps to reduce the discrepancies in the UK’s health spending relative to other countries in North West Europe.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to properly funding the National Health Service. However, money alone will not be enough, and it must come with reform. As Lord Darzi’s report sets out, health system models in other countries where user charges, like social or private insurance, play a bigger role can be more expensive. That means it is important to look beyond simple international comparisons of funding. The budget later this month will finalise the funding position for the NHS in 2024/25 and 2025/26, with the 10-year plan and phase two of the Spending Review next year setting out the details of the reform needed in response to Lord Darzi’s report findings, as well as providing funding certainty.