Yesterday I spoke alongside Francis Maude MP, Minister for the Cabinet Office at a Reform conference, sponsored by the ICAEW entitled, ‘reducing the deficit and improving public services.
I support the government’s aim to reduce the deficit. Although as George Osborne has announced this will mean 25% cuts – possibly 40% - in the expenditure of unprotected departments over the next four years.
This reduction will result in huge challenges for service delivery, particularly so following the sustained period of increased public expenditure.
In light of these changes I believe all government departments must now be subject to a rigorous reassessment of their spending priorities. And given its size, the NHS budget must also be subject to such a reassessment, even if spending on health care is to be maintained.
I don’t underestimate the challenges the public services now face, but there is hope in these difficult times. We will be using the expertise of our membership, who work in the public sector, to help bring about meaningful reform and the right outcomes for those people who use frontline services.