We have increased health funding to a record level – so people get the care they need. We committed to increasing NHS spending by a minimum of £8 billion in real terms over the next five years. We have also in the Budget provided the NHS with £2.8 billion of funding to 2019-20. We will deliver another £10 billion in capital to upgrade buildings and facilities. We have given an additional £2 billion for social care over three years and £437 million for the NHS this winter. SOURCE: Autumn Budget, 22 November 2017; Department of Health, 2 January 2018
We are investing more in mental health than ever before – transforming mental health services. We spent a record £11.6bn in 2016/2017 with a further £1bn to be spent every year to 2020/21. SOURCE: Mental Health Services: Finance: Written question - HL3655, 12 December 2017
121 more hospital doctors and 191 more nurses in Mid Essex since 2010. The NHS is performing more operations and diagnostic tests than ever before. In 2016/17 the NHS locally carried out 72,235 operations an increase of 9,035 since 2009/10. Diagnostic tests increased from 73,587 in 2009/10 to 119,446 in 2016/17.
We are investing £1.9 billion more for the NHS partnership for Mid and South Essex. By 2020/2021 this is expected to rise by £331.7 million, which will be a cash increase of 19%. The Mid Essex Clinical Commissioning Group received £451.7 million in 2017/18 which was a cash increase of 2.52% on the previous year. This is set to receive £462.8 million in 2018/19, which will be a cash increase of 2.45%.
£118m capital investment in hospital buildings and sites. This will increase the total number of hospital beds by at least fifty, build new and efficient operating theatres and improve technology to make it easier to work across sites. It is intended that a further £28m will be invested in additional technology and facilities that will benefit all three hospitals such as ensuring shared records across all sites. A public consultation is taking place to enable a detailed business plan to be submitted before final approval. This process is likely to be completed in late summer 2018.
A new Medical School in Chelmsford. Recruitment in Mid Essex has been challenging for many years. Anglia Ruskin University has announced plans to open a new Medical School in Chelmsford, and they hope to welcome their first intake of students in September 2018. This is already increasing the opportunities for experienced staff to take part in research and teaching.