BHF comment
BHF priorities must remain paramount as Comprehensive Spending Review is downgraded
The British Heart Foundation is calling for the Government to ensure that further investment in life saving research, public health funding and the NHS remain as priorities as the Comprehensive Spending Review is downgraded to a one-year spending review.
While the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic makes it difficult to plan further ahead into the future, our priorities remain as relevant as ever – especially as research charities are sharply feeling the repercussions of the pandemic.
Comprehensive Spending Reviews are multi-year funding settlements. However, it has been reported this week that the upcoming spending review has been dropped and replaced with a one-year review “in order to prioritise the response to Covid-19”.
Protecting the pace of research
Research is the core of the BHF’s mission, and we have already had to cut our funding into life saving research from £100 million to £50 million this year. We anticipate that medical research charities will continue to feel the impact of the pandemic for up to 4.5 years, damaging the UK’s world-leading science ecosystem.
To mitigate as much harm as possible, the BHF has joined the Association of Medical Research Charities and 151 fellow members to call for the Government to invest in charity-funded research for the next three years via a Life Sciences-Charity Partnership Fund, starting with an initial commitment of £310m in 2021/22.
Supporting our NHS and public health
Elsewhere, if the NHS Long Term Plan is to achieve its aims on time, then the Government must commit a further £4 billion by 2023/24 to it, with a minimum increase in this year’s spending of around 4.1%. This is even more crucial given the increased pressure Covid-19 has put on the health service.
Furthermore, the Government has committed to “giving our vital public services enhanced support” and we want to see this include the full restoration of the Public Health Grant to 2015/16 levels. This would ensure vital preventative services could be delivered and enable people to live healthier, more resilient lives.
Dr Charmaine Griffiths, our Chief Executive, said: “There’s no escaping the fact that this remains a time of uncertainty for everyone. This only strengthens the need to see the Government provide concrete, long-term support for research funded by charities to protect the progress we know patients need.
“Due to the Covid-19 crisis, our funding into research will be severely depleted this year, potentially bringing to a halt life saving research and jeopardising the futures of all those who make it possible.
“To maintain the levels of progress the UK has made as a research and development powerhouse, the Government must commit to supporting this vital part of the economy through this most turbulent of times. On a similar note, the health service and those responsible for improving public health must also receive the financial support they need – especially if we are to build a resilient and healthy nation in the face of Covid-19.”