NHS spending in Ipswich revealed with £899 spent on hot tub
A freedom of information request has revealed NHS spending across the country.
Freedom of Information requests submitted by the Taxpayers' Alliance as part of its 'War on Waste' campaign has revealed thousands has been spent on luxuries in the NHS, including football tickets and even hot tubs.
The group sent requests to Clinical Commissioning Groups asking for details of what personal health budgets were spent on in the last year.
In Ipswich and East Suffolk, the CCG was shown to have spent £899 on a hot tub and £4753.80 on a summer house.
The group did offer justifications for each of their purchases.
Hot tub - To replace hydrotherapy sessions which were cancelled due to Covid
Summer house - To provide an independent space to access outdoors where activities could take place as a replacement to day services that were cancelled due to the pandemic.
Following their data haul, the Taxpayers' Alliance is calling on the Government to ensure value for money in health spending, especially with national insurance due to go up to help fund the industry.
James Roberts, political director of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "Taxes on working people should not be going up to pay for health service hot tubs.
"Given the new health and social care levy, taxpayers will not accept their money being wasted. While everyone's care needs will be different, it beggars belief that health budgets could be forking out for jacuzzis, video games and football tickets.
"The upcoming spending review needs to ensure the NHS is offering value for money in every pound it is spending."