Birmingham Northfield MP Gary Sambrook has hailed the decision to write off more than £13billion of NHS debt as ‘game-changing.’
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust have had their historic debt totalling £34,634,000 written off, along with £19,718,000 written off for The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust - freeing them up to invest in maintaining vital services.
This significant change will mean local hospitals will get all the necessary funding to carry out their emergency response during the Coronavirus pandemic, as well as laying secure foundations for the longer-term commitments to support the NHS to become more financially sustainable.
The decision to write off more than £13billion of debt is part of a package of major reforms to the NHS financial system, designed in a collaboration between the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England, which began from the start of the new financial year.
Commenting Gary Sambrook said: “I have always seen the debt our local NHS Trusts have been saddled with as a millstone around their necks. This decision to write off historic debt totalling £54,352,000 locally is game-changing and will enable the Trusts to plan for the future and invest in vital services.
“I regularly have conversations with the Health Secretary about the need to ensure our fantastic NHS services are supported financially. I’m very pleased the Health Secretary has listened and delivered for the NHS Trusts covering Birmingham Northfield.
“The NHS is at the frontline of our efforts against Coronavirus, and as we are seeing here, the Government remains committed to providing the NHS with whatever it needs to tackle the virus, and the changes to the funding model will give the NHS immediate financial certainty to plan and deliver their emergency response.”
