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Health & social care

The healthcare system is undergoing significant transformation. In 2018-19, spending on healthcare by the Department for Health and Social Care amounted to £132.9 billion. Last year the NHS received a historic funding settlement £20.5 billion a year by 2023-24 to help ease demand and financial pressures, and put the Service on a sustainable footing.

The NHS Long-Term Plan sets out strategic priorities for the future of the NHS and commits to greater funding for primary and community care and mental health services. The funding package, however, does not cover other essential spending by the Department for Health and Social Care, including funding for education and training, investment in buildings and equipment, and public health grant money for local councils. Action on delivering a long-term funding solution for social care has also stalled, with Local Authorities now facing a £3.5 billion funding gap in the next five years.

Delivering 21st-century healthcare care will not only require fundamental redesign of the system, but also ensuring that investment is allocated effectively and spent to the greatest effect.

Fact Sheet: The primary care estate
The Long Term Plan sets out ambitious plans for primary care, yet 80% of GP practices are not fit for the future
  • Research
Fact Sheet: The NHS Estate
The NHS estate covers 55.6 million m2 of land, costs almost £9 billion to run, and has a maintenance backlog of £6 billion
  • Research
Solving the social care crisis
Social care is woefully underfunded, but any solution must be sustainable and intergenerationally fair. Here's how the Government can achieve that
  • Video
Delivering a health system fit for the future
Short-term thinking and sticking-plaster cash injections are not a sustainable solution to the pressures facing health and social care services
  • Blog
Getting it right for the NHS: Next steps for the Prime Minister
The NHS faces unprecedented financial and operational challenges - where should the PM focus his attentions?
  • Blog
Fact Sheet: Healthcare Workforce
The healthcare workforce is in crisis, with tens of thousands of vacancies and billions being spent on temporary staff
  • Research
‘A tax on youth!’ – Solving the social care crisis
An intergenerationally fair social care system cannot be funded from general taxation
  • Blog
Fact Sheet: Adult Social Care
Demand for social care is rising, but funding is not keeping pace, and successivce governments have failed to act decisively
  • Research

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