Sleaford MP welcomes NHS long term plan

The publication of the plan follows the announcement last year that the NHS would receive £20.5 billion extra by 2023-24. In return, the NHS was asked to develop a plan for how to spend this additional funding to transform patient care and make sure every penny of taxpayers’ money is spent wisely.

The plan is based on a new focus on prevention – keeping people out of hospital by improving their health and investing £4.5 billion in primary and community care, supporting GPs, health visitors and community nurses.

Dr Johnson said: “As an NHS doctor myself, I know how important our health service is to our communities. I am proud to have supported the government in giving our NHS £20.5 billion of extra funding, and I welcome the Long Term Plan to ensure that this money is spent as wisely as possible.

“The Plan sets out how the NHS will move forward into the future, and this is particularly important given that people are living longer and coping with more chronic conditions over their lifetimes. I am glad to see the Plan’s focus on supporting primary and community care, which will improve early diagnosis and treatment, as well as the emphasis on integrating health and social care to better support older people.

“As co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Children Who Need Palliative Care, I have lobbied hard for more funding for children’s palliative and end of life care. I am therefore pleased that the Plan says that children’s palliative and end of life care is an important priority for the NHS, and that NHS England are increasing funding for children’s hospices.

“Our NHS is the backbone of our country, and I am delighted that the government is building on this with additional funding. I look forward to seeing the Plan enacted and our NHS continue to go from strength to strength.”