'Stop platforming these charlatans and keep the NHS.'
Right-wing think-tank the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) has drawn widespread condemnation after publishing a report which claims that the NHS should be abolished in order to save lives.
The IEA which has long pushed for privatisation of healthcare, has called for the NHS to be replaced with a Social Health Insurance (SHI) system.
The think-tank, which has also previously published research questioning the science behind climate change, claims that the introduction of market competition through an SHI system could improve patient choice, reduce waiting times, and raise standards.
Those claims however were challenged on Good Morning Britain today by Dr Chaand Nagpaul, former Chair of the British Medical Association, who said that while it was correct that many European nations provide a more accessible service, the real problem was that the NHS had a ‘gross deficit of infrastructure’.
He added: “When you look at the number of doctors for example, an average European country has about 30% more doctors, twice as many if you’re Germany, if you look at hospital beds, there are three times as many hospital beds, in Germany compared to the UK, twice as many in France, so that’s why people are able to access those healthcare services more easily.
“If you actually were to have an insurance system, in actual fact it would diminish the available funds in the NHS and Belgium which was given as an example has twice the administrative costs of the NHS.”
Reacting to the IEA’s call for the NHS to be abolished, health secretary Wes Streeting posted the word “No” on X, while others pointed out the IEA’s long history of pushing for the privatisation of healthcare.
One social media user wrote: “Why doesn’t #GMB point out that this ‘report’ is anti-NHS propaganda, by a biased right-wing organisaton – Institute of Economic Affairs – which is funded by US donors who would make a fortune out of private healthcare if the NHS was scrapped.”
Another added: “Absolutely fucking not. The IEA clearly have links to private health care providers and insurers which has obviously not influenced their thinking here at all. Stop platforming these charlatans and keep the NHS.”
Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward
Left Foot Forward doesn't have the backing of big business or billionaires. We rely on the kind and generous support of ordinary people like you.
You can support hard-hitting journalism that holds the right to account, provides a forum for debate among progressives, and covers the stories the rest of the media ignore. Donate today.