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DHSC Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24

Inquiry

In May 2024, the PAC found that the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) had been getting the basics unacceptably wrong in their financial management and accountability for public spending – for the second year running. Its report expressed disappointment that, four years after the pandemic began, Government still did not have a plan for stockpiling inventory, including PPE, for future pandemics. It also raised concerns on delays in completion of audits of local health bodies. 

In the same year, the Committee also launched its scrutiny into the financial sustainability of the NHS. In 2023-24, the financial deficit in NHS England (NHSE) had more than doubled from the previous year, to £1.4bn, according to the National Audit Office (NAO). Despite the provision of additional funding of £4.5bn during 2023-24 by the Government, and an underspend by NHSE against its central budgets of £1.7bn, the NHS has been finding it increasingly difficult to live within its means. 

Based on the NAO report into the DHSC’s Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24, the Committee will take evidence from senior DHSC, UKHSA, and NHSE officials on how the Government has addressed the above and other issues raised by past reports have been addressed. 

Please look at the requirements for written evidence submissions and note that the Committee cannot accept material as evidence that is published elsewhere. 

If you have evidence on these issues please submit it here by 23:59 on Thursday 13 February 2025.