Rise in energy costs could lead to severe NHS service pressures

As reported by The Guardian, the lack of funding available to the NHS will lead to hard choices

A staggering £2m increase per month for energy costs is expected for hospital trusts in order to cope with the fuel cost increase.

The NHS has previously budgeted £1.5bn in May to cope with the energy costs and other expenses such as fuel, private finance initiative contracts, local authority care prices and ambulance services.

However, prices are expected to keep increasing next year.

“The NHS needs at least £4bn to make up for inflation during this year alone, and that is before we face a winter of even higher wholesale energy prices,” says Rory Deighton, senior acute lead at the NHS Confederation.

The NHS will be expected to face tough decisions regarding staffing and patient care in the next coming months.