Boris Johnson announces £3billion NHS boost to get ready for second coronavirus wave this winter
THE NHS is set to get an extra £3 billion to help it prepare for a potential second wave of the coronavirus.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson will announce the plans later today which will include funding that will allow extra hospital capacity.
⚠️ Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates
This will help allow routine treatments and procedures to continue.
Winter always places a great strain on the NHS and there are growing concerns that there will be a resurgence of Covid-19 cases during the annual flu season.
The Prime Minister is also expected to commit to a new target of reaching the capacity for 500,000 coronavirus tests a day by November.
Funding measures will allow private hospital capacity to be used and for Nightingale hospitals to be maintained until the end of March.
So far in the UK there have been over 45,000 deaths due to the coronavirus and the expected announcement today comes after a report commissioned by the Government's chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, warned there could be 120,000 hospital deaths in a "reasonable worst-case scenario".
But the Prime Minister is clear that now is not the time for complacency, and we must make sure our NHS is battle ready for winter
Downing Street spokesperson
A Downing Street spokesman last night said that the virus is under control and thanks to the British people restrictions have been “eased in a cautious and phased way”.
"But the Prime Minister is clear that now is not the time for complacency, and we must make sure our NHS is battle ready for winter.
"He will set out a broad package of measures to protect against both a possible second wave, and to ease winter pressures and keep the public safe."
They added that the funding is brand new and said expenditure for devolved nations will be set out in due course.
As well as this the Prime Minister is also expected to announce a “road map” for recovery.
Despite the offering from the government experts have called for urgent clarity.
Deputy chief executive of NHS Providers Saffron Cordery questioned what the funding would actually be for as funding is already in place for private beds and nightingale hospitals.
"Trusts need more than that. They have got to recover the lost ground of the last four or five months and put measures in place to manage the additional activity that always happens in winter..
"Sadly what we do know won't be included is social care.
"Social care across the country is in a critical condition and the Government has still failed to commit to providing the sector with the funding it needs to be fully sustainable."
The British Medical Association also called for details on how the money will be used.
Council chairman Dr Chaand Nagpaul said: "The Government talks of winter planning, but we need transparency on this, including how far this money can stretch in tackling a modelled worst-case forecast - including a second peak, additional non-Covid demand and a possible flu outbreak.
"Crucially, the Government must make prevention a priority and take every necessary step to try and avoid a national second spike all together."
Research by the Academy of Medical Sciences revealed that action must be taken now in order to stop a second peak.
The research said capacity for 350,000 tests per day will be needed to test individuals as they show symptoms of either Covid-19 or flu.
The latest Government figures say capacity stood at nearly 338,000, but Mr Johnson will commit to increase this to half a million by the end of October to bolster Test and Trace.
Earlier this week Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced plans for the "biggest flu vaccination programme in history", with eligibility for free injections likely to be extended.
During the first wave of lockdown non-urgent operations were suspended to free up hospital beds.
Downing Street says the new plans to be announced by the PM will allow them to go ahead where possible as ministers target efforts on local lockdowns.
Last night, Mr Hancock announced a partial easing of the prolonged lockdown measures in Leicester.
However he said Covid-19 rates in the city remained too high to allow pubs and restaurants to reopen.
Most read in Health News
But Leicester mayor Sir Peter Soulsby has accused the Government of penalising businesses and residents in a city that predominantly votes Labour.
It was rumoured earlier this week that the Prime Minister was keen to get people back to offices.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
While the official government advice is “work at home if you can” it had been thought that he wanted civil servants to return to the office to set an example.
However Sir Patrick, his top scientific adviser, showed some resistance to the change on Thursday, saying working from home remained a "perfectly good option" and there was "absolutely no reason" to change the advice.
CORONAVIRUS CRISIS - STAY IN THE KNOW
Don't miss the latest news and figures - and essential advice for you and your family.
To receive The Sun’s Coronavirus newsletter in your inbox every tea time, .
To follow us on Facebook, simply .
Get Britain’s best-selling newspaper delivered to your smartphone or tablet each day – .