Reform UK 'Reforming the NHS'
Reform UK’s official position, as stated on its website and in its 2024 manifesto (“Our Contract with You”), is that the NHS remains free for patients when they need care. The party criticises successive governments for poor outcomes and high waiting lists despite extra funding, and focuses on redirecting money from “back office bloat” to frontline services.
Core commitment
The NHS would stay free at the point of use and paid for through general taxation. Party statements repeatedly stress this will not change.
Main goal
The 2024 manifesto set a target of zero NHS waiting lists within two years. This was described as a bold aim requiring major changes rather than just more money spent the same way.
How they say they would improve staffing
Frontline NHS and social care staff would pay zero basic-rate income tax for three years to help keep existing workers and attract back those who have left.
Training caps for UK medical students would end.
Student fees for doctors, nurses and other medical staff would be written off gradually (pro rata) over 10 years of NHS service.
Using extra capacity
The party would make greater use of independent and not-for-profit providers (examples given include charities such as Nuffield Health) in the UK and overseas to treat more patients and reduce lists.
A 20% tax relief on private healthcare and insurance is proposed. The stated aim is to encourage people who can afford it to use private options, which the party says would free up NHS capacity for others.
Patient vouchers for delays
If an NHS patient cannot see a GP within 3 days, a consultant within 3 weeks, or have an operation within 9 weeks, they would receive a voucher for private treatment. The care would still be free to the patient (funded through the NHS).
Cutting waste and improving efficiency
Plans include:
Opening operating theatres at weekends.
Better advance planning of staff rotas.
Reviewing Private Finance Initiative contracts for savings.
Charging people who miss appointments without notice.
A “Pharmacy First, GP Second, A&E Last” approach, with tax incentives to expand pharmacies.
Abolishing the NHS Race and Health Observatory.
The 2024 manifesto costed the NHS-related pledges at about £17 billion per year. The party said this would be funded by wider cuts in government waste and inefficiency.
Social care
Reform UK has proposed a Royal Commission to create a more sustainable social care system that works better with the NHS.
Current emphasis
As of mid-2026, the party’s website summarises the approach as keeping the NHS free at the point of use while moving money from administration to patient care. Detailed earlier pledges from the 2024 document remain the main published plan.
In short, Reform UK’s published policy keeps the founding principle of free care at the point of need, while focusing on staff incentives, extra capacity from outside the NHS, patient guarantees via vouchers, and reducing bureaucracy to try to clear waiting lists.
These are the party’s stated positions; whether they would work in practice is a separate question for voters and analysts.
