Health and social care secretary Wes Streeting has confirmed that an announcement on hospice national insurance (NI) arrangements will be made next week, with further announcements on GP, social care and pharmacy funding to be made in January.
The announcement comes after the Autumn Budget increased employer national insurance contributions (NICs) from 13.8% to 15%, with changes expected from April next year.
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Appearing before the Health and Social Care Committee this morning, Mr Streeting was asked whether the money that was ‘taken or will be taken’ from hospices, GPs, social care and pharmacy via NI rises will be ‘returned to them’.
Hospice leaders have previously warned that the additional financial pressures triggered by the NI rises could have a ‘profoundly negative impact’ on the sector, and cost an estimated £30m per year.
Earlier this month, our sister title Pulse exclusively revealed that changes announced in the Budget could cost GP Practices in England a total of £260m.
‘I did say to hospices that we would make an announcement for Christmas. That’s next week, and I intend to keep that promise,’ Mr Streeting told the cross-party committee.
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‘And then, more broadly, I’m mindful of people needing to make decisions around their organisations for the year ahead. So, I think this early in the new year at the latest.’
When pushed, Mr Streeting confirmed that GP, social care, and pharmacy funding arrangements around NI changes would be announced early next year.
‘Early in the new year would be January,’ he said.
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On Tuesday the committee launched an inquiry into the provision of adult community mental health services, including community mental health nursing.
Last month, the committee launched an inquiry into the ‘cost of inaction’ in adult social care reform and is looking to hear from nurses affected by insufficient changes to the sector.
