The NHS will get a 0.1% spending increase, which will mean a rise from £104bn to £114bn over the next 4 years.
In reality the increase is very small at a time where costs are rising and healthcare is high in demand; making the rise feel like a budget cut.
The coalition government have had to scrap pledges made by the previous Labour government for free prescription for long term conditions, one to one nursing for cancer patients and only one weeks wait for cancer test results.
Economists say that with the cost of drugs, lifestyle problems (such as obesity) and the ageing population; a 3% increase is needed just to reach a stand still. Also those working for the NHS earning 21,000 or more will have a pay freeze for the following 2 years.
In realistic terms, with the current financial situation, the NHS could not expect a better pay rise and almost all of the other deparments are receiving large cuts too.
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