NHS chief says taxes alone can't fund ailing £160billion-a-year service as he ... trends now
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The way the NHS is funded requires a radical overhaul as it now too costly to rely on taxes alone, the deputy chair of NHS England has said.
Wol Kolade highlighted the huge growth in healthcare spending in recent years and warned taxpayers can no longer afford to fund it at the rate that is required.
He said budgets have increased from around £110billion a year when he first joined the board in 2018 to around £165billion now, adding: 'Where the hell is it going to stop? £250billion? £300billion?'
Mr Kolade, who is also a leading private equity figure, said the country needs a 'big conversation' about how the health service is funded and suggested social insurance or 'some sort of private solution' may have a role.
Wol Kolade highlighted the huge growth in healthcare spending in recent years and warned taxpayers can no longer afford to fund it at the rate that is required
His comments came as health leaders made a further plea for more cash and as a new study suggested the NHS needs an immediate injection of around £8.5billion a year over the next four years.
Leading experts said the money is needed to make up a £32billion shortfall in funding in England and would help tackle problems such as high waiting lists, access to GPs and worker shortages.
In the second report of the BMJ Commission on the Future of the NHS, economist and senior associate at the Nuffield Trust, John Appleby, plus two colleagues argue that, while the Government's recent spring budget funding pledges are a start, they do not go far enough.
They said: 'In the recent spring budget, the Government has pledged a further £2.5billion for the NHS in England
