NHS Confederation responds to Health Foundation polling on public priorities ahead of general election

Responding to polling published by the Health Foundation that shows four in five members of the public support increased funding of the NHS, NHS Confederation chief executive Matthew Taylor said:
 
"It’s reassuring for those working across the health and care system to know that the public understand the challenges services are facing and that increased investment will be critical to retain and recruit more staff, tackle the elective backlog and reducing waiting times for care.
 
"With public finances tight it’s understandable that the main parties have been reluctant to pledge additional funding for the NHS ahead of the election. But it’s critical that they see investment as just that – a down payment on the future health and prosperity of the nation. Analysis we published in October 2022 showed for every £1 invested in the NHS, £4 comes back to the economy in gross value added (GVA.)
 
"In a context with record numbers of people out of work due to long-term ill health, increasing life expectancy and rising numbers of people living with complex long-term conditions, it’s critical that the next government proportionally shift resource into health and care services closer to home to ensure we can keep people as well as possible in their local community.
 
"Political parties must be brave and set out their intention to make decisions thinking about the medium and long-term health needs of the population rather than thinking in terms of the electoral cycle. This polling highlights the public's appetite for this.
 
"NHS leaders want to see the next government implement health policy that truly does think about the drivers of health and wellbeing, and not just think of health policy as a synonym of NHS policy."