Leading clinicians ‘horrified’ as NHSE slashes community funding without warning

British Geriatrics Society president Jennifer Burns told HSJ the professional body was “horrified” that the budget for the Ageing Well programme for 2022-23 would be £70m instead of the £204m originally promised in the long-term plan for the NHS.

“We are dismayed that the promised funding for the Ageing Well programme as set out in the NHS long-term plan is being so dramatically cut at this time,” Dr Burns said.

Ageing Well is made up of three workstreams: the urgent community response model, community teams, and enhanced health in care homes.

Dr Burns added: “Older people’s services have been under considerable pressure over the last two years. This £130m reduction in funding against the original budget comes at a time when systems are required to implement the urgent community response stream of Ageing Well, as well as to prepare for the roll-out of the anticipatory care stream from next year.”

She also said the society was “very concerned about the lack of communication” from NHS England regarding the funding cut. She said her members had been operating on the assumption the funding levels would remain as set out in the long-term plan.

NHS England confirmed the funding for 2022-23 would be “in line” with the 2021-22 envelope.

HSJ understands the absence of the expected funding increase is related to a delay in launching the anticipatory care model, which is now due to start in 2023-24.

NHSE added: “The NHS is also investing an additional £200m in funding for virtual wards across the country by March 2023, delivering more care to patients safely in the comfort of their own home which will directly benefit older patients.”

But Dr Burns said that although virtual wards would go “some way to helping with hospital admissions”, they were “no substitute” for the original commitments.

“Older people suffered a devastating toll during the pandemic. Now is the time for systems to ensure the right services are in place and there is sustainable planning for the healthcare needs of an ageing population.”

It is not clear whether the funding cut a few days into the 2022-23 financial year is linked to NHS England’s own budget being cut by £330m after a dispute between the Treasury and the Department of Health and Social Care over who would pay for ongoing covid testing costs.