Sajid Javid Calls for ‘Hard-Headed’ NHS Reform Amid Crisis
Former Health Secretary Sajid Javid has launched a bold call to shake up the NHS. With A&E wait times soaring—patients in England faced a record 12-plus hour wait last December, more than triple the official limit—Javid says it’s time for radical change.
Javid Wants Fees on the Table
In a damning article for The Times, Javid insists the NHS’s current rationing—making people wait—is outdated. Instead, he urges introducing means-tested fees, protecting low earners but asking others to contribute. He points to Ireland’s 75 euro charge for injury units and £20 GP fees in Norway and Sweden as examples worth considering.
“We should consider extending the contributory principle on a cross-party basis. This conversation will not be easy, but it will help the NHS better ration its limited supply,” said Javid.
No Immediate Government Plans, But Debate Welcomed
Downing Street says Prime Minister Rishi Sunak isn’t currently backing these ideas. Yet Deputy PM Dominic Raab admits the concept “has been discussed a few times” and welcomes Javid’s input. Raab added, “I think we’re very focused on the huge investments we’ve put in alongside getting those backlogs down.”
Sunak himself once floated a controversial £10 fine for patients who miss GP or hospital appointments during his Tory leadership campaign. But health chiefs broadly slammed the idea, and he quickly abandoned it.
NHS Faces Largest Strike Ever
The crisis deepens as the NHS braces for its biggest ever strike on February 6. Millions of patients already endure long waits, and fresh walkouts threaten to push the service to breaking point.
Javid’s tough talk highlights the growing urgency to rethink the NHS. Whether Britain is ready to face tough choices remains to be seen.
