NHS Spending Hot Topic Of General Election

In the midst of the general election is a heated row over NHS spending, but contrary to popular belief, the fight is not over how to cut spending in order to save us from the massive national deficit but in fact how to safeguard spending and preserve the health budget.

Suggestions are flying around over how to make the service more cost effective but all parties are unanimous on the decision to protect spending. The Liberal Democrats have taken a more prudent tone, claiming that the NHS must shrink its costly and unnecessary managerial ranks.

Many economic experts claim that the government cannot simply bypass the liberally funded NHS if it wishes to deal with the budget deficit. Spending has increased in real terms by over 7 percent each year over the lengthy 13 year labour rule. This is equivalent to going from 3% of national spending to almost 10%.

In the popular television debates, conservative leader David Cameron pledged to protect funding for the NHS stating he would "cut the deficit, not the NHS". Although there is conflict between different politicians and economists over the means of dealing with the spending, they all agree that in order to battle the budget deficit which is likely to reach 11.8% this year, steep cuts are required.

Nick Clegg, Lib Dem leader, claimed "We have to find savings in the NHS," proposing huge reorganisations in the managerial departments freeing up funds for "frontline services." But in a recent interview, Mr. Clegg admitted that he doesn't have plans for "net cuts in the NHS."

An aging population and rising obesity rates mean that without a cut in spending, the NHS will need to be more efficient with their funding. In 2009, NHS Chief Executive David Nicholson asked health-service managers up to 20 billion of "efficiency savings" by 2014, money he said would be reallocated toward necessary services.

The British Medical Association, the main professional body for doctors agrees with the need for efficiency but warns against any cuts to frontline services. Instead, the NHS should cut its use of management consultants. The Royal College of Nursing agrees, estimating that the NHS in England spent 350 million on management consultants in the latest fiscal year.

Major cutbacks in NHS spending could result an a lack of nursing jobs and experts suggest it will be difficult for graduates to find nursing jobs Exeter

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