Where NHS funds are spent

The Medicine Balls column in Private Eye pointed me to the Nuffield Trust’s analysis of NHS spend (for 2022/23).

Uploaded image — Total funding by health care type in real terms: “funding for everyday consumables such as staff costs and medicines, rather than for capital investment on equipment, buildings and IT systems, which tends to fluctuate from one year to the next.”

There’s detail in the full report, including changes over time and the role of outsourcing. The summary from MD: “Clearly the NHS doesn't prioritise prevention; it waits until people are sick and then spends a fortune trying to repair those who are lucky enough to get help in time.”

I wasn’t sure what “community healthcare” is about. It’s “essential support to help people stay healthy and live independently at home”. Immunisation, check ups, help with daily living, foot care. That kind of thing.

Anyway, I thought the numbers are interesting as I had no real idea what the proportions were.

health