£200 million of new funding to help the NHS through the winter

Further to yesterday's post, I was pleaseed to see that today the government  announced £200 million of new funding for the NHS, boosting resilience so patients get the care they need this winter as we cut waiting lists.

• Winter brings immense challenges for the NHS, so it is important that the government is working with health leaders to make sure the NHS is prepared. 
• That is why I was pleased to see that the government is investing £200 million to boost resilience in the NHS and protect elective care so we can address the serious challenge of cutting waiting lists. The government is also investing £40 million to bolster social care capacity and improve discharge from hospital. 
• This funding will help patients get the care they need and help to cut waiting lists.

Getting the NHS ready for winter

I was pleased to learn that the Prime Minister met with NHS leaders and health experts today to prepare the NHS for winter pressures, making sure patients get the care they need.

• NHS waiting lists have been a top concern since even before the pandemic. There is some progress in some areas - for example waits of over two years for NHS treatment have been eliminated – but there is some way to go and furthermore, pressure on the NHS always increases over the winter.
• That is why the Prime Minister met with NHS leaders today to discuss ways to mitigate winter pressures, improve care for patients and continue to get waiting lists down so patients can access the care they need, when they need it. 
• The government is starting planning for winter earlier than before so we can continue to deliver the very best care for patients.