Cameron defends NHS reform plans

David Cameron has defended the coalition government's plans for the NHS, insisting that essential reforms cannot be delayed.

In a keynote speech at the Royal Society of Arts in London, the prime minister warned that the costs of public services rise with every year that passes without modernisation.

He noted that this problem is being exacerbated by rising demand for NHS services, due to trends such as the ageing population and the growing prevalence of conditions including obesity and tuberculosis.

"Pretending that there is some easy option of sticking with the status quo and hoping that a little bit of extra money will smooth over the challenges is a complete fiction," he said

The prime minister said modernisation is needed to address both the level of demand for healthcare and the efficiency of its supply.

However, healthcare sector bodies such as the British Medical Association and the Royal College of Nursing have voiced concerns about the proposed shake-up, stating in a joint letter to the Times this week that they believe the scale and pace of the changes are "extremely risky and potentially disastrous".