In the last week, two different people have independently told me of conversations they have had with Tory MPs concerning the direction of Conservative politics for the NHS in a few years time.

The story begins with the politics of the NHS becoming increasingly difficult for the Tories. Whilst they have put the reforms to bed, the next few years are going to see increasing political strife about ‘cuts’ in the NHS.  These will be firmly linked in the public mind with the role of the Conservative Government. In reality they will have been caused by an unreformed NHS failing to improve its productivity or value for money.