NHS WALES FACING FINANCIAL DIFFICULTY: THE JOURNAL OF THE HEALTH VISITORS' ASSOCIATION

ABSTRACT

NHS leaders have told governments what UK and Welsh funding priorities should be in future budgets as fears grow some Welsh NHS organizations will not break even this financial year. According to a new paper by the Welsh NHS Confederation, government needs to review the long-term funding model for health and social care because without further investment, patient experience and quality of care will suffer. NHS leaders say funding priorities should include the ongoing costs of Covid-19, recovery of care services, the backlog in elective care and the maintenance of NHS estates -- including reducing carbon emissions. The rising cost of healthcare was blamed on Covid-19, a growing and ageing population, developments in medical technology, increases in energy prices, pay and price inflation, pharmaceutical developments, and recruitment and retention challenges, while both demand on, and expectations of, the NHS continue to increase.