I fully believe in our NHS and its values, which is why I welcome that the Government have guaranteed that the NHS will always provide healthcare free at the point of delivery, regardless of ability to pay. While private providers do play a small role in improving the provision of health care, let me be abundantly clear: the Government will never privatise the NHS.
 
The use of private providers and the voluntary sector in the delivery of NHS services is not a new concept, with the previous Government introducing the independent sector and competition into the NHS between 1997 and 2010.
 
The NHS is something to be valued and protected which is why I support the commitment to properly funding the NHS. Since 2010 the NHS budget has increased every year, and I am happy to say that despite challenging financial circumstances, the annual budget of the NHS will have received £20.5 billion in real terms by 2023/24. The funding will be front loaded to give an increase of 3.6% in the first two years.