Professor Sir Bruce Keogh, NHS England’s National Medical Director, has warned the NHS’s future is in danger because its model of care cannot meet the relentlessly growing demand for treatment caused by the ageing population.

In an interview with the Guardian newspaper published today, Sir Bruce says: “If the NHS continues to function as it does now, it’s going to really struggle to cope because the model of delivery and service that we have at the moment is not fit for the future.”

He said there need to be changes to the way the NHS treats patients, including far less reliance on hospitals, or the service risked becoming unaffordable and could see its entirely taxpayer-funded status challenged.

Sir Bruce added: “If the NHS continues to function as it does now, it’s going to really struggle to cope because the model of delivery and service that we have at the moment is not fit for the future.”

• For the full interview on the Guardian website: NHS cannot cope with ageing population, warns top doctor