The row over the NHS pay rise is taking up most of the political attention when it comes to the health service at the moment. But it’s not the only – or indeed the biggest – problem facing the politicians and officials involved. This morning Matt Hancock appeared before the Health Select Committee, and after being grilled on the proposed pay increase, found himself having to explain why, with just 16 days to go, hospitals still have no idea what their Covid-related funding is going to look like for the next six months and beyond. The NHS budget for 2021/22 still has not been signed off.
Hancock insisted that the 1 per cent pay increase is ‘a pay rise and that is simply a matter of fact’ because inflation is below 1 per cent – something that’s not going to go down hugely well with health service unions, given the Office for Budget Responsibility forecasts inflation to rise to 1.5
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