Public would support rise in taxes to save NHS, poll finds

 

Ian Johnston
Thursday 17 July 2014 00:24 BST
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Nearly half of the public would raise taxes to resolve the NHS funding crisis, but 40 per cent believe that either charges should be introduced or services cut instead, according to a new poll.

The Guardian/ICM survey found that 97 per cent thought heart bypass surgery should not be rationed, followed by hip replacements on 94 per cent and post-accident facial reconstruction (91 per cent). Life-prolonging cancer drugs and IVF treatment were backed by 70 per cent and 60 per cent respectively.

Asked how to deal with the looming multi-billion pound funding gap in the NHS, 48 per cent backed “raising taxes for everybody, to put more money in”.

However, 21 per cent backed charging patients and 19 per cent said they range of treatments should be reduced.

Some 17 per cent blamed the Coalition Government's “market-based overhaul” for the NHS’s problems, while 14 per cent blamed self-serving health workers who were more interested in their pay than looking after patients.

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