The NHS Confederation has warned that even with protection of its budget, the health service will still be hard hit by spending cuts and called for political leaders to be frank and realistic about the impact on the public.
It expressed particular concern that cuts to local government budgets could lead to reductions in the provision of social care and cause problems for the NHS. Nigel Edwards, acting chief executive at the NHS Confederation, said: “It seems inevitable that we will see a significant withdrawal of support from some of the most vulnerable people in our society – before long we could see a majority of councils only supplying services to those with the most critical of needs. “The needs of these vulnerable people and their families will not simply disappear – if needs are not met by social care, people will turn to the NHS. Some will present as emergencies in A&E and GP surgeries, others will find themselves trapped in hospital unable to get home, blocking the bed from someone else who badly needs it.”
