Rachel Reeves is being urged to prioritize health spending on prevention in the upcoming budget to ensure that it is protected from cuts when financial constraints arise. A letter sent to the chancellor by various organizations emphasizes the importance of ringfencing funding for preventive measures in order to create a healthier population and save money for the NHS.
The letter, which was also signed by the Health Foundation, highlights the need for a shift towards investing more in prevention rather than dealing with the consequences of failures. The Health Foundation’s chief economist, Anita Charlesworth, stressed the benefits of increased spending on prevention, citing a report by the Office for Budget Responsibility that showed positive impacts on public finances such as higher tax revenues and less pressure on the NHS budget.
The letter also points out the historical trend of cutting prevention spending in favor of short-term needs, which ultimately undermines the long-term benefits of investing in preventive services. It references examples from previous Conservative governments, where funding for youth services and family support programs was drastically reduced despite evidence of their positive long-term effects.
In order to address these issues, the letter calls for the creation of a new category of spending specifically for prevention within departmental expenditure limits, allowing for better tracking and accountability of preventive measures. This proposed framework aims to ensure that government departments prioritize long-term investment in prevention and transform services accordingly.
While Rachel Reeves has already expressed her intentions to alter the rules governing public finances to allow for more borrowing for capital projects, the letter urges for a more comprehensive approach that includes preventive departmental expenditure limits. This would enable the government to effectively promote prevention as a key component of public service improvement in the long term.
In response, the Department of Health and Social Care highlighted their 10-year health plan, which focuses on shifting the NHS’s attention towards prevention rather than just treating illnesses. Initiatives such as banning junk food ads targeting children, implementing new health checks, and introducing measures to reduce tobacco and nicotine consumption are all part of their strategy to create a healthier population.
Overall, the call to ringfence funding for illness prevention in the upcoming budget is essential to ensure that long-term investments in preventive measures are prioritized and protected from budget cuts. By creating a dedicated category for prevention spending and strengthening the fiscal framework, the government can effectively promote a prevention-led approach to public service improvement and deliver long-term benefits for the population’s health and well-being.
