The Treasury has announced reviews into public service funding that include how to shift more care out of hospital and back into primary care.
It said that the review would highlight how the Government can shift healthcare back to communities in a sustainable way.
It comes alongside scrutiny in three other areas: homelessness, the provision of youth services and the management and maintenance of public sector assets.
Ministers said the work would look to root out ‘wasteful duplication’ within government and make recommendations to improve value for money.
The Treasury said: ‘As healthcare has become increasingly centred around hospitals, community, primary care, mental health, social care and local services have been left working in silos — driving inefficiency and making the system harder for patients to navigate.
‘The healthcare review will highlight these challenges and establish better how the government can deliver the shift of healthcare back to communities in a sustainable way across the NHS.’
The review will be led by the chief secretary to the Treasury, James Murray, in collaboration with the relevant secretaries of state and ministers, and its recommendations will inform the 2027 Spending Review.
At last year’s Spending Review, plans were published to deliver nearly £14 billion in technical efficiencies for the taxpayer by 2028-29.
At last year’s Budget, the Government then announced a further £2.8 billion of efficiencies and savings in 2028-29, which will rise to £4.9 billion in 2030-31.
Reacting to the announcement, Siva Anandaciva, director of policy, events and partnerships at The King’s Fund, said: ‘It’s a good thing that the focus of the review is consistent with the Department of Health and Social Care’s 10 Year Plan where the shift from hospital to community is one of the three key focuses.’
However, he added: ‘The fact that the government needs a further review suggests there isn’t enough meat on the bones of the 10 Year Plan yet to give the rest of government the confidence it needs that the plan will be delivered, care will be moved into the community, patient care will improve and taxpayers will get better value for money.’
In a speech last week, Health Secretary Wes Streeting defended cuts to the health service.
He said that abolishing NHS England and cutting ICB budgets would reduce bureaucracy and improve financial efficiency.
Mr Streeting also said that changes being made to integrated care boards (ICBs) were ‘about making sure that every pound going into the service is well spent and spent to the best effect’.
‘This is a system that is rebuilding trust in its ability to deliver to budget,’ he said.
