Nigel Farage wants to scrap the NHS as we know it and bring in an insurance system where “if you can afford it, you pay.” We want to know if you’re concerned about his plans.
Nigel Farage wants to replace our current NHS with an insurance system where ‘if you can afford it, you pay’.
But it’s already proving an unpopular move, with a national poll by the Health Foundation saying a whopping 85 per cent insist our health system should remain as is – a comprehensive service for all. But we’re asking if Reform UK’s plan has still got you worried, by taking our poll below.
The right wingers are currently storming ahead of Labour in the opinion polls, and facing increased scrutiny over what they would do if they won the next general election. A highly confident Farage insists he’ll be the next Prime Minister after the next big vote, thought to be any time from 2027 to 2029. During a previous interview, he said: “The funding of the NHS is a total failure. The French do it much better with less funding. There is a lesson there. If you can afford it, you pay; if you can’t, you don’t. It works incredibly well.”
Are you worried about Farage’s plans for the NHS? Take our poll below, and if you can’t see it click here.
The French healthcare system includes mandatory state-run social insurance, financed by payroll deductions and taxes. The system often requires patients to pay upfront and then receive partial or full reimbursement. Many people also buy private insurance to cover the remaining costs.
The Health Foundation report stated: “There are no significant changes in support for these founding principles, with the proportion thinking the NHS should provide a comprehensive service available to everyone remaining stable.”
Health Secretary Wes Streeting told the Mirror: “With Labour, when you fall ill you will never have to worry about the bill. I am a cancer survivor who owes his life to the health service. Nigel Farage will get his hands on our NHS over my dead body. Thanks to Labour’s investment, we’ve delivered five million extra appointments, cut waiting lists, and recruited 2,000 more GPs. The NHS is finally on the road to recovery – Reform would crash it into a ditch.”
Currently the vast majority of funding for the NHS in England comes from general taxation and National Insurance contributions. Around 1% of the Department of Health and Social Care’s budget comes from patient charges, such as for prescriptions and dental treatment.
The Health Foundation poll showed that, looking forward five years, the public are fearful that the founding principles of the NHS will no longer remain. Some 26% disagree that the NHS will provide a comprehensive service available to everyone, and 21% disagree that it will remain free at the point of delivery.
What do YOU think? Are you shocked by Farage’s plans for the NHS? Take our poll above and expand on your feelings in the comments below