1st May 2015
Contents
- Lib Dems would demand £8bn funding increase for the NHS in any coalition agreement, says Clegg
- Sara Hurley announced as new Chief Dental Officer for England
- Millions globally have no access to safe and affordable surgical care, according to new Lancet Commission
Lib Dems would demand £8bn funding increase for NHS in any coalition agreement, says Clegg
In a speech today the Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg has said that his party’s promise of an extra £8bn a year for the NHS would be a “red line” in any potential coalition negotiations.
Mr Clegg said that his party would refuse to enter into a formal coalition unless the increase in NHS funding was included as part of the agreement. Similarly, the party’s commitment to introduce waiting times standards across mental health services would also be a mandatory condition in any coalition agreement, according to the party leader.
Both the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives pledged to increase health spending by £8bn a year in their manifestos while Labour has promised around half as much through their “Time to Care Fund”.
However, as shown the graph below (courtesy of the Nuffield Trust), while the Lib Dems' proposed route for the £8bn increase in health spending would out-pace the Conservative’s plans, Labour’s proposals, which are dependent on income generate from new tax measures, would see fresh funding come “on-line” earlier than would happen under their political rivals.
(Graph courtesy of Mark Dayan, Nuffield Trust)
Sara Hurley announced as new Chief Dental Officer for England
NHS England has announced the appointment of Sara Hurley as Chief Dental Officer for England. Ms Hurley takes over from Dr Barry Cockroft, who retired in February following 10 years as England’s most senior dentist.
Sara Hurley qualified from the University of Bristol Dental School in 1988 before being commissioned into the Royal Army Dental Corps. She has already served as the Chief Dental Officer for the Army and joins NHS England from the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine.
Millions globally have no access to safe and affordable surgical care, according to new Lancet Commission
The Lancet this week published the workings of a major new Commission on global surgical care, reporting that millions worldwide do not have access to even the most basic surgical services.
The Lancet Commission on Global Surgery found that nearly a third of all deaths in 2010 were from conditions that are easily treatable with surgery, with much of this burden borne by people in low and middle income countries who have no access to the necessary surgical facilities. However, despite this, surgery is often overlooked as an integral component of global health development. The Commission, written by a group of 25 international experts from surgery and anaesthesia, therefore examines the case for improving global access to safe, affordable, and effective surgical care.
Speaking on the publication of the Commission’s findings, Miss Clare Marx, President of the Royal College of Surgeons, said:
“We must all play our part in ensuring access to safe and affordable surgical care for the five billion people around the globe, the fact that the Commission highlights. A programme of high-quality training tailored to local needs, particularly in low and lower-middle income countries, will be vital if we are to reverse these statistics. In addition to this, strong leadership needs to come from within the surgical community at a local, national, and international level to improve surgical care, education and training, and meet the needs of patients worldwide.”