BMA says time is running out for NHS

The chairman of the British Medical Association (BMA) has said that the NHS only has “about two years to get the service right”.

James Johnson made the comments following calls earlier in the week from the Doctors for Reform group for a funding review in order to maintain standards in the NHS.

“After five years of seven per cent growth per annum the NHS is in a bit of a mess,” Mr Johnson said.

“We only have another two years left and after that we will go back to growth levels of two to three per cent.”

At a BMA conference, the point was reinforced by a professor from the University of Birmingham, who suggested that beds and hospitals may need to be removed or close if the NHS is to “survive as a free system”.

“The NHS hasn’t improved sufficiently to persuade the public it can survive as a universal, free at the point of use system,” said Chris Ham, from the university.

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