FPH reaction to the 2021 Spending Review

The 2021 spending review has once again Failed to deliver adequate public health funding.

This spending review represents a dereliction of duty from Government to honour commitments to level-up health inequalities and deliver on the prevention agenda.

The public health grant in England has faced a 24% real-terms cut since 2015/16.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic the public health workforce has delivered for the populations they serve under immense pressure and with limited resources. It is unacceptable that Government has failed to raise public health funding, or restore the cuts they made. What is particularly astounding is that all of this is happening during one of the most significant public health crises in a generation.

FPH is also concerned by the lack of green financing and the apparent inconsistency in the spending review by halving air passenger duty for domestic flights and the freezing of fuel duties just as COP26 gets underway in Glasgow.

If Government hopes to restore services, level-up health inequalities, prepare for the next public health threat and build a more prevention-focussed health and social care system, there must be proper funding for public health.

You can read Faculty’s representation to the Comprehensive Spending Review here.