Promised funding not extra cash, says UKIP

Louise Bours, North West UKIP MEP

George Osborne's £2bn promised funding for front-line health services is just returning part of the money the Coalition government has taken away, says UKIP health spokesman Louise Bours.

"We are expected to be grateful for this cash but the reality is this is just restoring some of that taken in cuts imposed to meet the 2015 target of a £20bn reduction. The public should not be fooled into thinking this is extra money.

"There has been a deliberate underfunding for years and inordinate amounts of time and money have been wasted with interminable clinicians' and managers' meetings on how to save and how to cope.

"It seems clear that the financial strictures imposed on the NHS over the last few years have actually been counterproductive and have indeed contributed to the mess the NHS is in today," said Ms Bours, North West MEP.

"Those who have been involved with the NHS for a long time are acutely aware that those on high tasked with 'improving' our health service just keep re-inventing the wheel with their organisational changes.

"These changes waste huge amounts of cash but fail to achieve the desired aims of improving heath services. The money Osborne has proudly announced is another smoke and mirrors trick which fools no one and is not going to solve our sick NHS," she added.