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The BMA says that lack of clarity is confusing the issue of NHS spending in England and calls for less “spinning” of funding announcements.

In a briefing paper from its health policy and economic research unit the association says that establishing a clear picture of the exact level of funds available to the NHS and the way that it is distributed is not straightforward. The paper examines several press notices announcing spending decisions. It concludes: “The three year settlement for the NHS established by the comprehensive spending review has provided some stability for the NHS. However, to some extent this has been undermined by the way that the funding allocations have been presented. Top slicing, by means of the modernisation fund and, in some instances, repeat announcements of the same new funding have made it difficult for those delivering services to understand what money is available and to plan accordingly.” The BMA says that in future the government should make clear what the source of funding is.

The paper will …