The NHS and social care are at risk of being downgraded as a priority by a government distracted by Brexit unless there is a major public health crisis, the former chief executive of the NHS has warned. Responding to the warnings, a Treasury spokeswoman said: “The government has committed to increase NHS funding by £10bn above inflation by 2020/21, going beyond what the NHS requested. “In addition, we have given local councils £3.5bn extra funding by 2020 for social care. Many councils are already providing high-quality social care services within existing budgets.”Labour MPs expressed anger after Hammond did not mention social care once during his autumn statement speech to the Commons. It prompted Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, to launch a national “Care for the NHS” campaign on Saturday.

Source: The Guardian November 28, 2016 07:01 UTC