Increase in private healthcare will help alleviate some pressures on the NHS but it’s not the fix - The Yorkshire Post says

However, a drive towards adopting a wholly insurance-based healthcare system would not only be dangerous but also betray the founding principles of the NHS.

Free healthcare at the point of use in this country, despite its flaws, is still envied across the world.

It is only right that people who can afford private cover or companies who are able to offer that benefit, take up the option. After all, data released earlier this month showed that a raft of NHS targets are currently being missed, including a key 62-day cancer target. The Government also missed a target of eliminating 18-month waits for planned NHS care such as knee and hip replacements, though numbers have fallen dramatically in recent months.

But it is clear that not everyone will be able to afford healthcare insurance, despite the uplift in sales enjoyed by Aviva.

A key issue that is blighting the NHS is poor workforce planning and that won’t be solved by private health insurance. There are simply not enough nurses, paramedics and doctors to effectively tackle the growing burden of an ageing population.

And in order to tackle this, the pay disputes that have led to widespread industrial action need to be resolved by the Government.

Earlier this week, The British Medical Association (BMA) announced a fresh three-day strike and threatened to stage walkouts all summer if the government does not increase its pay offer to junior doctors.