The NHS is nowhere near crisis point yet

The public loves the NHS. Despite the frequent headlines proclaiming that the NHS has reached a crisis point, it is routinely cited as one of the things that makes the British proud. Some 77% of us agree it is so important that we must do everything we can to maintain it, a figure unchanged for decades.1 It is always top of the list for extra funding and for protection from necessary cuts whenever we at Ipsos MORI ask the public.

So far, so good. The challenge is that the NHS does need more money—as acknowledged this week by the prime minister2—and 66% of us say that we would personally pay more taxes to help fund it.3 However, it’s easy to say one thing to pollsters and then act …