Lansley: We’ll cut £1.5 billion from the NHS
By Ian Dunt
The Tories will cut £1.5 billion from the NHS in efficiency savings, Andrew Lansley has announced to the Tory party conference.
The shadow health secretary said the savings would follow from devolving “decision-making closer to patients”.
The savings – from a budget of £100 billion – would cut NHS bureaucracy by a third, from £4.5 billion to £3 billion, the party claims.
“Labour have made expensive commitments on the NHS with no price tag; in contrast we are determined to identify how we will save money before we spend it,” Mr Lansley said.
“To make the NHS successful, we must devolve decision-making closer to patients. In doing so, we’ll save substantial sums of money.
“Labour has allowed wasteful spending on bureaucracy to spiral; a Conservative government would cut it right back.”
The proposal comes despite claims the party would ring-fence spending on health, education and international development.
