‘GPs, pharmacies and care homes must be recognised as crucial parts of our healthcare system’ – Ben Lake MP
Plaid Cymru Treasury spokesperson, Ben Lake MP, has raised urgent concerns over the impact of changes to employers’ National Insurance contributions on healthcare providers in Wales.
As employers’ National Insurance contributions increase, questions remain around whether the UK Treasury will allocate additional new money to cover costs for GPs, pharmacies and care homes.
During an Urgent Question in the House of Commons, the Ceredigion Preseli MP urged for clarity on whether funding to support GPs, pharmacies and care homes will come from the existing budget of England’s Department of Health and Social Care, or whether the Treasury will provide additional new money.
Wales would receive no additional funding if funds will be provided from current budgets. If the Treasury provides new money for healthcare providers in England, Wales would receive additional funding through the Barnett formula.
Mr Lake said it was “concerning” that there was no clarity over two weeks since the Budget, and said that GPs, pharmacies and care homes should be recognised as “crucial parts of our healthcare system”.
Plaid Cymru MP for Ceredigion Preseli, Ben Lake MP said:
"GPs, pharmacies, and social care homes across Ceredigion Preseli have contacted me to express their concerns about the impact of policy changes regarding employers' National Insurance contributions. It is essential that they are supported with the costs arising from this policy. The minister has suggested that there may be additional support available for some through the usual systems.
“Can I ask her to clarify whether that funding will come from the Department’s existing budget or if there will be new money allocated from the Treasury? This distinction would have certain ramifications for the Welsh Government, particularly in determining whether they will receive additional Barnett formula funding."
The Minister of State for Health, Karin Smyth MP responded:
"I thank the honourable gentleman for his questions. I understand the concerns of the providers that have come to him, and he is right to raise them in this place. As he knows, health and social care is devolved to the Welsh Government, and there has already been significant benefit from Barnett consequentials in the current Budget.
“We will continue to talk with the devolved regions in a much more cooperative manner – may I say – than the previous government did, to ensure that we have a good system across the entire United Kingdom."
Speaking after the session, Ben Lake MP added:
“It is concerning that over two weeks since the Chancellor delivered her Budget, the UK Government is still unable to say whether the Treasury will deliver additional funding to help meet the additional National Insurance costs for GPs, pharmacies and care homes. They are crucial parts of our healthcare system and must be recognised as such.”