A prominent group of figures in care and medicine have called for a national debate on NHS funding. In a letter to the Times, which includes signatures from the chairwoman of the Royal College of GPs and the president of the Royal College of Physicians, they say a serious discussion will be needed on how to fund the NHS in the future.

The possibility of higher taxes or charging for some kinds of treatment may also needed in order to maintain the current standards of care.

The discussion between politicians and the citizens they represent, the letter goes on to say, needs to be open and honest: “We need a new settlement; a fundamental, holistic agreement with the country on what health and social care should be, how and where it is delivered to maximise the quality of care, and how it should be paid for.”