Funds for STPs in spring budget
Posted 13 March 2017 - 16:12
Additional funds for sustainability and transformation plans (STPs) were announced in the spring budget.
Chancellor Philip Hammond told the Commons: 'We recognise the progress the NHS is making in developing sustainability and transformation plans.
'And we recognise too that, in addition to the funding already committed, some of those plans will require further capital investment.
'So the Treasury will work with the Department of Health over the summer as the STPs are progressed and prioritised.
'And at autumn budget I will announce a multi-year capital programme to support implementation of approved high-quality STPs. In the meantime, the health secretary expects that a small number of the strongest STPs may be ready ahead of autumn budget. So I am allocating an additional £325 million of capital to allow the first selected plans to proceed.'
Making savings
STPs represent the biggest shake-up of health services in years, and aim to produce savings by changing the way health care is delivered in England.
The main goal is to transfer the bulk of care away from hospitals. To deliver these plans NHS providers, clinical commissioning groups, local authorities, and other health and care services have come together to form 44 STP ‘footprints’, geographic areas where organisations work together to develop plans.
Capital funding
How many STPs will receive the new funds and what money will be available in future is as yet unknown.
The British Medical Association estimates £9.5 billion worth of capital funding is needed.
More than half of the STP footprint areas have told NHS England they will each need more than £100 million up front, and a handful have quoted needs of more than £500 million.
'Limited pot of money'
RCN general secretary Janet Davies said: 'Some financial support for STPs is welcome but the government needs to clarify how many plans will be supported by this limited pot of money and guarantee it will be channelled into struggling community services.
'Hospitals and community services are chronically understaffed and nurses are working unpaid overtime to hold things together.'
Further information:
How does the budget affect nurses?