IS THE NHS really such bad value?

The annual cost of £110 billion, which when divided by a probable population of 65 million is about £1,692 per capita expenditure.

Now take into account that £45 billion is the NHS pay bill, which leaves £65 billion to run the service – £1,000 per annum, £20 each week for everyone living in the UK.

That sounds great value, but there’s more.

Of that £45 billion pay bill, tax is paid back to the Treasury directly through income tax and National Insurance and pension contributions. A rough estimate is £10 billion.

Of the £35 billion remaining after direct tax the 1.3 million NHS employees use that cash to live, paying more tax indirectly and stimulating the economy through personal expenditure including rents, mortgages and savings.

Additionally, the NHS is funded by all in the UK through direct and indirect taxation.

In summary, the NHS employs over one million people, recuperates millions of workers enabling them to work and 40 per cent of the budget is directly taxable, the remainder growing the economy.

Wow, our NHS is a great return on our investment.

Tom Scaife, Manor Drive, York.