Good morning, I'm writing to you from one of the largest NHS conferences, where healthcare leaders have gathered in Manchester – and there's been no shortage of headlines. Unsurprisingly, the focus has been on Wednesday's spending review. More on what was said at the event below. As expected, the NHS emerged as one of the biggest winners. But as my colleague John Rentoul asks, has Health Secretary Wes Streeting truly won the spending review? Experts were quick to point out that even a significant boost doesn't shield the health service from further financial strain. This week, I also published a deeply tragic investigation into the deaths of three disabled children at the UK's largest brain rehabilitation unit, run by the charity The Children's Trust. You can read it in full here. See you next Thursday… |
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| Rebecca Thomas Health Correspondent |
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A consistent message from NHS top leader Jim Mackey since taking up his post has been clear: the health service must learn to live within its means. Speaking at NHS ConfedExpo, Mr Mackey stuck firmly to this position. He said: "We really need to get better value for that money – it is broadly the equivalent of the GDP of Portugal, so it's a huge amount of money by any standards." Mr Mackey also pointed to the challenges facing social care: "Social care in local authorities won't do brilliantly in the spending review, and then we have the review of social care, so we will be left to do as much as we can within our gift." The spending review outlined a £4 billion increase in funding for adult social care by 2028–29, compared with 2025–26. A review of social care, led by Baroness Casey, is currently underway – a process the government appears to be pinning its hopes on. However, the Nuffield Trust offered a more cautious take: "We now know what money Baroness Casey will have to work with as she carries out her review of social care over the next few years, and it's unlikely to lead to the transformation we were promised. "Local government may find enough money to keep up with existing demands from today's settlement, but that will only come by racking up council tax again, and little will be left for a programme of reform. Plans for a Fair Pay Agreement for care workers are welcome, but with tightly constrained finances, councils could only fund this by cutting into other budgets." |
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Has Rachel Reeves got the balance right in her first spending review? |
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Rachel Reeves' first multi-year spending review as chancellor delivers major investment pledges in health, as well as housing and infrastructure. But critics have raised questions and warn that 'sharp trade-offs are unavoidable'. Do you think she's got the balance right? Vote in our poll above. Last week, I asked whether you were worried about the long-term risks of weight-loss jabs like Ozempic and Mounjaro. Readers were split, with 54 per cent expressing their concern. Penny summed up the debate, commenting: "Had weight loss jabs been around when I was 15, my 13 stone self would have been first in the queue, for what would have seemed a life changing opportunity. Fifty years on, having maintained a healthy weight for over 30 years, my enthusiasm is tempered by uncertainty." |
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Melanie Rickey explains why after a first flush of the sober glow, laying off the booze can also leave you feeling awkward and anxious.
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