BMA Cymru Wales manifesto for a healthier Wales
June 2006
Funding
The NHS faces big challenges, and staff have been working exceptionally hard to meet the escalating demands placed on them and to care for an ever-increasing number of patients. Doctors are doing all they can to provide quality treatment to patients and pushing forward innovations in treatment and processes of care and are often leading the development of health initiatives and new ways of working.
Over the last few years, the current Welsh Assembly Government has begun to try to improve the NHS by funding it more realistically. However, we are concerned that the published projected figures for the next three years will not be enough to sustain growth.
There have been suggestions from some quarters in England that we should move towards a social insurance system but there is little public appetite for this. The BMA has looked at alternative means of providing healthcare and still believes that a system funded through taxation remains the best option.
NHS trusts throughout Wales are potentially facing a period of financial instability as they get to grips with providing the care needed by the population. Local health boards too are struggling to bring their budgets under control while at the same time developing new services and paying for current services.
Almost every day we hear examples of reductions in patient care as NHS trusts attempt to avoid deficits. Despite the increases in funding, NHS trust managers face balancing rising patient activity with an ever-increasing number of government initiatives and performance targets, not all of which are properly thought out or funded. Cutting back on high quality patient services is short-sighted and potentially puts at risk the long-term quality of care.