A policy briefing is available for LKS staff to share in their organisations. Produced by the JET Library at Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Feel free to reproduce it (with acknowledgement).
What does this mean for libraries? The budget applies directly to NHS funded services but not education and training tariffs where a large proportion of library funding is derived from. It is useful for library staff to understand the priorities and pressures in order to support the organisations they serve.
Source: The Health Foundation, The King’s Fund, The Nuffield Trust
Date of publication: November 2018
Summary of driver: The budget outlined an increase to the NHS England budget (not capital, public health or education and training) of £20.5bn at estimated 3.4% increase per year by 2023/24. However, higher inflation will mean the increase is less than 3.4%; the real terms increase will be confirmed by the 2019 spending review. A long term plan about how the money will be spent is expected by the end of the year. Funds will be allocated to mental health, social care, disabilities grant and staff salary rises. The document considers where the funds will come from and what this means for NHS funding.