NHS bosses are drawing up national rationing guidelines for routine operations and prescription medicines after getting only a third of the money they asked for in the Budget.
They will meet next week to consider widespread restrictions to hip and knee surgery, IVF, antidepressants and painkillers.
The drastic measures follow Wednesday’s Budget, which allocated £2.8 billion to the NHS over a two-year period. Health leaders – including NHS boss Simon Stevens – had asked for £8 billion.
