NHS cash boost should prompt police investment too

NEWS that the NHS is set to receive a cash boost from Government coffers should set some ‘serious’ conversations going about police funding.

Around £25 billion a year by 2023 has been set aside for the struggling NHS and Ministers have already admitted the cash injection will leave the cupboards bare for the police and other public services.

South Yorkshire Police Federation Chair Zuleika Payne said it was frustrating news for police officers.

“We all understand just how needed the extra investment into the NHS is and we welcome it, especially if it helps alleviate some of the extra pressures on the police from dealing with people with mental health issues for instance, or those who simply walk out of a hospital and then the police are deployed to assist” she said.

“But, for me, the news needs to prompt some serious discussions about police funding at the top level.

“Ultimately we are incredibly frustrated that we are unable to deliver the service that we would really like to.

“There’s nothing more frustrating than a group of professional people desperate to do their job to the best of their ability but being unable to just because of resources and a lack of investment.

“We are struggling, we appreciate the NHS is being invested in and that’s great news, but the conversation about police funding needs to happen now.

“The NHS, education, the police, the fire service – we are all in this together trying to help and protect the public, so perhaps the argument for investment all round needs to be stepped up.”