NHS England to get spending boost sooner than expected

Shadow Health Secretary Heidi Alexander said if the new £3.8bn investment in the NHS came from cutting budgets from other services George Osborne was simply "robbing Peter to pay Paul".

NHS England Chief Executive Simon Stevens has welcomed the £3.8bn investment saying it would help relieve the "huge pressures" on the health service.

He said the NHS had made the case for more funding for frontline services but added that a debate was needed in future around prevention, such as obesity in children which threatened their long-term health, and social care services.

Chancellor George Osborne has said he will set out his plans for social care services and the NHS in his Autumn Speech on Wednesday.

It comes as Mr Osborne announced he was fast-tracking £3.8bn of funding to NHS frontline services.

Health experts have welcomed the cash injection but raised concerns some of the money may come at the expense of services that support the NHS such as social care.

Mr Osborne has admitted that savings will need to be made elsewhere in Government to pay for the NHS funding.