Councils have warned that proposed new NHS pay rises could lead to cuts to vital public health services if they are not funded, after the new public health grant settlements were published.
The Government has provided a 3.2 per cent increase in the public health grant for the next two years because of increases in demand for services and increased running costs.
However, the Department of Health and Social Care also wrote to councils to explain that they would be expected to use their existing budgets to pay for increases in NHS pay for community services they commission.
Councils are calling for more support to meet a proposed 5 per cent pay increase for NHS staff working in council-commissioned health services.
Cllr David Fothergill, Chairman of the LGA’s Community Wellbeing Board, said: “It is good that councils finally have clarity on their public health spending for the next two years. However, NHS pay rises should not be an additional burden on already pressured council public health budgets.
“Public health services run by local councils cannot continue to maximise their role at the heart of communities while continually having to manage uncosted new burdens. To ensure our vital services can continue supporting those in our communities who need them the most, the Government should fund new NHS pay rises in full.”