Gov't streams £14bn into public services in COVID-19 response

More than £14 billion from the Coronavirus emergency response fund will be streamed into public services, including the NHS and local authorities involved in the fight against Coronavirus, Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced.

The funding has included more than £6 billion to support health services, free up hospital beds and deliver urgent priorities including acquiring ventilators, diagnostic tests and protective equipment for NHS staff.

HM Treasury support will also enable home delivery of medicines to the most vulnerable people in the country, and has helped support medical and nursing students and retired doctors and nurses to join the front line, it was noted.

The Chancellor initially set aside a £5 billion fund as a rapid response, but stressed that the NHS and public services would get whatever extra resources needed.

Responding to the announcement, Niall Dickson, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said: "The extra funding is obviously welcome and necessary if the NHS is to be given everything it needs to prevail in this battle. This comes on top of the welcome decision to write off NHS debt and as such is another important pillar in the support needed to manage the current crisis.

"The longer term implications are not yet clear but that can wait for another day. The immediate issue is making sure the heath service and social care will not fall over in the next few weeks. Everyone involved is bracing themselves for what could be a massive wave of cases - we must hope we have done enough to prevent these services from being overwhelmed but we will not know for some time.

"When this is over the NHS will face a mountain of unmet need and as in the days following its creation in 1948, it will have to work through thousands of patients who should have been treated earlier."
 

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