Former Minister Claims NHS Spending Doubled with 'No Impact' on Health

Spending on the National Health Service has doubled over nearly two decades while having 'no impact' on Britain's health, according to a former Government minister. Lord Bethell, who served as a Conservative health minister under Boris Johnson, declared that billions of pounds are being wasted, presenting what he termed 'a social, moral and economic disaster'.

Doubled Expenditure with Stagnant Results

The peer, who held his post from 2020 to 2021 during the pandemic, highlighted that NHS spending has surged from approximately £100 billion to £200 billion in the past 17 years. However, he told the Telegraph that this higher expenditure has had 'no impact' on the country's health, with many seeing outcomes worsen as life expectancy flatlines.

Lord Bethell stated: 'We've doubled the amount we spend from basically £100 billion to £200 billion a year in the last 17 years for no impact on our nation's health. So why has that happened? Because you have no measurement or target or mission or vision around actually improving the underlying health.'

Warnings of Financial Jeopardy

He added a stark warning: 'We're putting the financial future of our nation in jeopardy. Our children are not going to be able to afford the schools and hospitals that they deserve.'

Current life expectancy at birth stands at 79 for men and 83 for women, roughly in line with the levels observed in 2009, according to the Office for National Statistics. This stagnation underscores the concerns raised about the effectiveness of increased funding.

Detailed Spending Analysis

UK health expenditure reached £242 billion for the 2024/25 period, with spending per person highest in Wales, followed by Northern Ireland, then Scotland, and lowest in England. Over the last 50 years, this amount has increased by an average of 3.6 per cent annually, but the most significant single-year increase was 26.6 per cent in 2020/21.

That peak was driven by the Covid-19 pandemic, before expenditure decreased by a total of 10.1 per cent over the following three years. It then rose by 5 per cent in 2024/25, indicating ongoing volatility in health spending.

Conference Insights on Waste and Inefficiency

Lord Bethell made these remarks ahead of his appearance on a panel hosted by healthcare data analytics provider Pulselight at the Counterfraud conference in London. The event aims to 'explore how waste, duplication, and inefficiency across NHS systems create avoidable costs and operational drag on day-to-day services'.

He will be joined by Professor Sir Jonathan Van-Tam, the former deputy chief medical officer, who has warned of a 'demographic time bomb' facing the NHS. Speaking before the event, Lord Bethell noted: 'The NHS has grown more complex over time, and complexity creates duplication even when everyone is acting in good faith.'

He emphasised the role of technology: 'Technology now gives us the opportunity to improve oversight, reduce unnecessary process and ensure that taxpayer funding delivers measurable value for patients.'

Expert Calls for Data-Driven Solutions

Sir Jonathan added his perspective: 'The real challenge today is joining data across organisations and turning it into insight that teams can act on quickly. If we can identify patterns of waste, duplication and irregularity earlier, we can strengthen workflows and release resources back into patient care.'

Government Response and Health Initiatives

A Department for Health spokesperson responded to the Daily Mail, stating: 'The Health and Social Care Secretary has set a clear mission: to close the gap between the wealthiest and poorest parts of our country, so everyone lives well for longer.'

The spokesperson outlined ongoing efforts: 'Through our 10-Year Health Plan, we are shifting the focus of the NHS from sickness to prevention. Just this week, we announced new incentives for GPs to do more to prevent disease through vaccinations, screening and weight-loss.'

The Government's public health agenda includes: