NHS debt write off win must come with testing and PPE investment

The Government has announced it will write off over £13bn of NHS debt and Liberal Democrat MP Tim Farron has called for investment in Covid-19 testing and PPE for NHS staff.

The announcement came after former Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Tim Farron, revealed last year through a freedom of information request that £607,404,854 worth of interest on outstanding debt was paid by NHS Trusts to the Department for Health and Social Care in the previous five years.

Liberal Democrat MP Tim Farron said:

"It should not have taken an international pandemic crisis for this to happen but it is very good news all the same.

On top of these debts were huge interest rates that robbed our local hospitals of millions of pounds every year. The money should have been spent money on frontline services."

On top of these debts were huge interest rates that robbed our local hospitals of millions of pounds every year which we have long been pushing for the Government to axe. It shouldn't have taken a crisis for this to happen but very good news all the same. https://t.co/HLusgy7AiV

- Tim Farron (@timfarron) April 2, 2020

The Liberal Democrats have long been pushing for the Government to axe these draconian interest rates. They cost my local hospitals trust the equivalent of running an entire radiotherapy unit every three years.

We must now ensure funding is urgently directed towards the roll out of adequate PPE and testing for NHS and social care staff.