The chancellor largely met his funding pledge in the pandemic but that could change in the autumn spending review
The spending review the chancellor has said he will hold in the autumn will set health and care funding for the next three years. The decisions the government makes will affect the health of our nation for a generation. They could also have a significant impact on the next general election.
Between 2010 and 2019, the NHS suffered the longest and deepest financial squeeze in its history. Funding rose by just 1.4% a year on average. Given that demand for NHS services was rising by approximately 4% a year, the result was all too predictable.