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Blair will have difficulty in matching European spending

BMJ 2000; 320 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.320.7230.267 (Published 29 January 2000) Cite this as: BMJ 2000;320:267
  1. Annabel Ferriman
  1. BMJ

    UK health economists predicted last week that the government would have considerable difficulty in meeting its promise—or aspiration—to increase spending on the NHS to the European average. They agreed, however,that the prime minister's statement was a significant moment for the NHS

    Chris Ham, professor of health policy at Birmingham University, said: “It is the boldest statement that any prime minister has ever made on health spending in the 52 year history of the NHS.”

    But he and other analysts believe that whether the pledge is fulfilled is highly dependent on the state of the economy over the next five years. Although the coffers at the Treasury are bulging at present—with a surplus estimated at between £10bn ($16bn) and £15bn—the picture five years on …

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