Nuffield Trust Report shows Barnett is restricting the Welsh NHS - Randerson

11.51.36am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 18th Jul 2008

The current funding system takes no account of Welsh needs.

Welsh Lib Dem Spokesperson for Health Jenny Randerson AM has welcomed the publication of a report by the specialist Health research organisation, the Nuffield Trust that concludes that the Barnett Formula is preventing the Assembly from making the choices it needs to over Healthcare.

The report, by two respected experts, Scott Greer and Alan Trench also found that Wales still spends less as a proportion of public spending on health than the UK average.

Jenny Randerson said: "This is another clear indictment of the Barnett Formula. The report draws clear conclusions that the non needs-based funding formula is preventing the Assembly from having the freedom it should have to address Wales' health problems. The report finds that all the UK's devolved Governments are subjected to a regime tightly controlled by Whitehall.

"It is fair to say that this report is another nail in the coffin of the Barnett Formula. I congratulate the Nuffield Trust on bringing this forward and adding to the debate. I am sure that Joel Barnett will be delighted that his self-criticised formula seems to becoming less and less popular by the day."

Notes:

The Nuffield Trust is a highly respected Health think-tank. The report entitled Health and Intergovernmental Relations in the Devolved United Kingdom is available at www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/publications

According to the trust, Health spending as a percentage of public spending for the last available year was:

England - 21.0%

Wales - 19.4%

Scotland - 20.0%

Northern Ireland - 17.7%

UK Average - 20.7%

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