Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 31
31
Rejected
Plan requires sustained multi-year investment, especially in technology and digitisation
Conclusion
The Department emphasised the most important aspect of the plan was continued and sustained investment and that, particularly when thinking about technology and digitisation, it should be seen as a multiyear set of changes.88 NHS England added that there was a commitment and request from Treasury to refresh the plan every two years. The two-year refresh will be important, not just in establishing the funding requirements, but in designing the right workforce because aspects such as technology will advance at an increasing pace over the 15 years of the plan. NHS England told us that it would want to see an overall increase in technology investment and that there was already funding set aside for capital investment that was not included in the £2.4 billion.89 85 Q 22 86 Qq 34, 36 87 Q 15 88 Q 94 89 Qq 95–97 Access to urgent and emergency care 17
Government Response Summary
The government explicitly disagrees with the committee's finding or implied recommendation, stating it has committed £2.4 billion for the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan and will address future funding needs as part of the next Spending Review process.
Government Response
Rejected
HM Government
Rejected
6.1 The government disagrees with the Committee’s recommendation. 6.2 In support of the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan, the government has committed £2.4 billion to fund education and training costs up to 2028-29. NHS England will submit its estimate to the government of the full cost of the NHS from 2025-26 onwards, which will include the financial implications of the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan, as part of the next Spending Review process. The outcome of the Spending Review process and what that expenditure covers will be published by HM Treasury in the usual manner.