‘It’s naive to think this is in the best interests of the NHS.’ How Big Pharma’s millions are influencing healthcare

The cash comes at a time when the NHS is described as ‘locked in a death spiral’ and the investment is touted as in the interest of patients. Illustration: Observer Design/Guardian Design

When the NHS celebrated its 75th anniversary last week, it prompted a fresh debate about a healthcare system on the brink of collapse.

Prof Philip Banfield, the chair of the council of the British Medical Association, warned the union’s annual meeting in Liverpool that every indicator in the NHS was “flashing red”. A chief executive at an acute NHS trust said they felt the health service was “locked in a death spiral”, with trusts struggling with staff and inadequate resources in the face of mounting pressure.