Extra £3bn Promised For NHS To Protect Against Second Wave Of Coronavirus
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Boris Johnson is set to announce an extra £3bn for the NHS to protect against a second wave of coronavirus this winter.
Downing Street said the funding is intended to afford extra hospital capacity, while allowing routine treatments and procedures to continue, and prevent the health service being over-whelmed.
The prime minister will also use a press conference on Friday to commit to a new target of reaching the capacity for 500,000 coronavirus tests a day by November.
The funding for the NHS in England will allow private hospital capacity to be used and for Nightingale hospitals to be maintained until the end of March.
The announcement comes in the wake of a dire warning of the consequences of Covid-19 rebounding as a report commissioned by the government’s chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, warned there could be 120,000 hospital deaths in a “reasonable worst-case scenario”.
Winter always places a great strain on the health service, but there are concerns a resurgence of the virus during the annual flu season could be crippling.
A Downing Street spokesman said: “Thanks to the hard work and sacrifices of the British people, the virus is under control and we have eased restrictions in a cautious, phased way.
“But the prime minister is clear that now is not the time for complacency, and we must make sure our NHS is battle ready for winter.
“Tomorrow, he will set out a broad package of measures to protect against both a possible second wave, and to ease winter pressures and keep the public safe.”
The spokesman said the immediate funding for England was new and not previously allocated, while expenditure will be set out for the devolved nations in due course.
Johnson is also expected to publish an additional chapter to the government’s “road map” for recovery from the crisis.
NHS Providers, which represents NHS...
