Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 24
24
Not Addressed
We asked about other key enablers of a successful recovery of elective and cancer care.
Conclusion
We asked about other key enablers of a successful recovery of elective and cancer care. NHSE told us about the particular negative impact of delayed discharges into adult social care, which had reduced its effective inpatient capacity.48 The Department confirmed that the additional funding for adult social care announced in the Autumn Statement would be used to help improve “the flow through from hospital to care.”49 The Autumn Statement 2022 committed to “an additional £1 billion of central government funding in England in 2023–24, increasing to £1.7 billion in 2024–25, to get people out of hospital on time and into social care.”50 47 Qq 106, 108 48 Q77 49 Q111 50 Autumn Statement 2022, para 5.61 Managing NHS backlogs and waiting times in England 15
Government Response Summary
The government disagrees with the Committee’s recommendation.
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
6.1 The government disagrees with the Committee’s recommendation. 6.2 NHS England acknowledged in the Delivery Plan for tackling the COVID-19 backlog of elective care the key role that workforce will play in achieving these targets, and committed to increasing workforce capacity by identifying and addressing gaps across key staff groups and sectors. Since publication, the department has further committed to publishing the NHS long term workforce plan this year. The department has also provided additional support for discharge, including the £500 million Adult Social Care Discharge Fund. 6.3 All aspects of NHS performance, and their impact for delivery, are kept under continued review by the department and NHS England. Any conclusions from the long-term workforce plan or the work to improve discharge will be reflected, as necessary, in operational planning guidance and/or the department’s mandate to NHS England in the usual way.