‘A real and present danger’: NHS cuts will put lives at risk, health leader warns

NHS Federation chief says slashing budget will plunge crumbling service into deeper crisis

Raiding the NHS budget or scrapping plans to rebuild crumbling hospitals would plunge the health service into its deepest crisis in decades. This was the stark warning this weekend from Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, who said the government is living in a fantasy land" if it believes it can cut funds to the NHS without endangering patients.

Jeremy Hunt promised spending cuts of eye-watering difficulty" last week after becoming chancellor of the exchequer. Yet he also did not reverse his predecessor Kwasi Kwarteng's decision to scrap the 7bn health and social levy that had been earmarked for the NHS.