Overview

• The recent Budget introduced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves includes a rise in employers' national insurance contributions, impacting GP practices and hospices not exempt from the increase.
• Health Secretary Wes Streeting has acknowledged the financial pressures on GPs and hospices and is exploring funding allocations to mitigate these impacts.
• The British Medical Association warns that without financial support, GP practices might have to cut services or close, significantly affecting patient care.
• Hospices, already under financial strain, may face existential threats from the tax hike, prompting calls for urgent government intervention.
• Despite the tax increase, the government has announced an additional £22.6 billion in health spending, with details on specific allocations yet to be disclosed.