NHS cannot afford to finance pay rises from existing budgets, hospitals say

Social care, prevention and public health services could be cut if government insists on funding 6% pay rise from health budget

Vital services could be cut if the government insists on funding NHS pay rises from existing health budgets, the leader of England's hospital bosses has said.

Sir Julian Hartley, the chief executive of NHS Providers, said the health service could not afford to finance the increases itself and that without additional funding, social care, prevention and public health services were at risk.