Voters should get ‘proper debate’ on health service funding – ex NHS chief

The former head of NHS England has said politicians need to be more honest with voters about the huge funding problem facing the health service.

Sir David Nicholson, former chief executive of the NHS in England, said there is a “serious short term problem” facing health service funding, and urged political leaders to spur a “proper debate” with the public on what it means.

“If you say that there is a big financial hole in the NHS next year then you have to do something about it,” he told the BBC’s Today programme.

“It will be even greater next year – and that will not become clear to the voters and the electorate until the autumn,” he added.

He also said reductions in social care have “made a massive impact on the NHS”, leading to “people in hospital who don’t need to be in”.