Recent projections from the Nuffield Trust and NHS England suggest the funding gap could grow to £30 billion a year by 2021. The gap could be smaller if the economy as a whole expands faster than expected. But commissioners and providers cannot rely on this happening. In short, the sector faces its greatest financial challenge of recent times over the next eight years or so.

The Cassandra Society have long argued that their predictions of a crisis have been dismissed. The Society is alleged to have a number of hedge fund shareholders, and parliamentarians have never disclosed links to them when speaking on health issues in parliament. They published last year a now celebrated pamphlet, “Why Section 75 does not affect the state of the health economy”, echoing Lord Howe’s that the section 75 regulations did not change the law “one iota”.

The Cassandra Society confirm previous warnings that the NHS is unsustainable. A key proposal is that when people do the weekly shopping, whether online or otherwise, an individual could be nudged into giving a small contribution. The Cassandra Society argue that it would act like a form of “Gift Aid“, and does not threaten the principle of universality as it is completely voluntary. A number of sources have said that former Health civil servants, who also worked with Alan Milburn, welcomed the proposal.

Other think tanks have responded well to the proposal.

“For the first time ever, we would have an accountable mechanism of co-production”, said the policy officer of Compass.

“With One Nation, and whole person, we embrace the concept of ‘Unified Giving'”, commented the policy officer of the Fabian Society.

These proposals come at a time when Andy Burnham MP is about to go to Strasbourg to discuss the controversial TTIP free trade arrangements. The Labour Party, on the other hand, have refused to comment on the proposals.

“There is no intention to propose a ‘Gift Aid’ for the NHS. This is not and never has been Labour Policy.”