About half of the new money went on staff, the NHS' single biggest cost.
A fifth - £1.4bn - went on employing new staff, which was one of the two key objectives of the 2000 10-year NHS Plan.
This money has helped pay for a sustained increase in nurses (67,880 more since 1999), consultants (7,330 more) and GPs (3,060 more).
But a larger proportion, nearly 30%, went on paying staff more. Since the NHS Plan in 2000, new contracts have been agreed for consultants, GPs and non-clinical staff such as cleaners and porters.
Please note that we are talking about the N.H.S. the National Health System of the United Kingdom. So, make now your comparisons!
(Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4264404.stm)
