Doctors raise concerns about NHS funding

A group of NHS doctors have sent open letters to political leaders, expressing concern about the way the NHS is funded.

The group of 900 doctors from Doctors for Reform warn that the NHS service is not sustainable in its current form. They said that unless a more balanced funding system, which does not rely solely on the taxpayer, is introduced, rising expectations will be met by greater rationing and even higher financial deficits.

While resources have risen above levels in Continental Europe, the doctors said that the NHS did not deliver a European standard of care.

The letter said: "There is no doubt of the scale of the extra resources that have been put into the NHS… but it is equally clear that the extra resources have not created a service of the standard of our European competitors. Certainly some areas of the service have improved - for example, the longest waiting times have been reduced - but improvements have tended to fall in areas of narrowly focused political pressure or in areas where reforms, such as patient choice, have been implemented. Other areas of the service have been neglected and remain below acceptable standards.

"We are gravely concerned that the situation will deteriorate rather than improve in coming years.

"A mixed funding system with other sources of finance, equitably raised, would allow the gaps in today's NHS service to be filled and a modern, truly comprehensive service to emerge.

The publication of the letters coincided with the release of a new ICM poll on public attitudes to the NHS. The poll of 1,012 adults, conducted on behalf of independent think tank Reform, found that two-thirds believed that the NHS in its current form was unlikely to ever meet public demands however much was spent on it.

Three-quarters believed that politicians should be removed from the day-to-day running of the health service, while 53% believed that extra spending had not resulted in real improvements in the NHS.

Karol Sikora, a professor of cancer medicine, said: "The need for a more balanced funding system is urgent. Without it, rising expectations will be answered only by rationed services and longer waits."

Maurice Slevin, a consultant medical oncologist, said: "For too long those of us in the medical profession have allowed the debate to be closed down by politicians who do not accept that more fundamental reform is needed. We urge all parties to review the sustainability of the health service and we pledge our support to that process."

(KMcA)