NHS consultants warn of dire cash crisis

British consultants have warned that the NHS will be reduced to treating emergencies only this winter if the underfunding is not tackled.

At an emergency debate at last week's meeting of the BMA's Central Consultants and Specialists Committee (CCSC) senior hospital doctors gave evidence of health authority and fundholding deficits, rising waiting lists, cancelled procedures, and staff shortages. The BMA called on the prime minister, John Major, to acknowledge the crisis.

Surgeons at the Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham have been told to stop all routine surgery and investigations for the patients of fundholders in south Derbyshire and non-fundholders in Nottingham because both the …