Health service sickened by £15bn funding black hole

THE NHS is facing its biggest financial challenge yet, with a £15 billion funding shortfall in the next decade, a report said today.

The NHS Confederation, which represents 90 per cent of all NHS organisations, said the next two years were "tough but manageable" but said "the position beyond 2010/11 is very different and challenging".

Its report said the service should expect a funding shortfall of £15 billion in real terms due to the recession and rising costs.