Health secretary Yvette Cooper announced on Tuesday that the government will provide an extra £140 million for urgent care services in England as she warned the NHS is likely to face a more challenging winter than normal.
Funding and priorities
Cooper said the new cash will be used to increase capacity across urgent care, with specific spending planned for ambulance services and upgrades to accident and emergency departments. She described the measures as part of the government's effort to shore up frontline services ahead of the winter period.
Early preparations
The health secretary said ministers and NHS bodies have been preparing since July for the seasonal rise in demand associated with winter illnesses. Cooper told reporters the earlier mobilisation of resources was intended to reduce pressure on hospitals and emergency services when cases rise.
A focus on capacity
Officials framed the £140m package as targeted support to expand capacity in the short term rather than a long-term funding change. Cooper said the money would help ensure ambulances and A&E units can cope with increased demand, though she cautioned that the coming months would still be "tough" for the health service.
Cooper and health department officials did not provide a detailed breakdown of the allocations at the announcement, saying further operational guidance would follow as NHS trusts and ambulance services incorporated the funding into local winter plans.