How big is the NHS budget?
In March 2000 the chancellor, Gordon Brown, unveiled a “historic” four-year, £19bn package of funding for the NHS that will bring the UK closer to the European average on health spending and, in theory, stem the damage of years of underfunding. He announced average real increases of 6.1% over the coming four years, which is claimed to be the longest period of sustained growth in the service’s 52-year history. With this increase, the NHS budget will reach £68.7bn by 2003-04, some £19.4bn more than in 1999-00. This massive cash injection follows a wretched winter crisis for the NHS, with ministers under fire over bed shortages, cancelled operations, overcrowded casualty departments, staff shortages, and a flu “epidemic”. After being pressed on claims of NHS underfunding by TV interviewer David Frost in January, Tony Blair promised that the government would increase health spending up to the European average. In fact, despite the extra billions this target will be missed. According to the
