health 8264204 ----- # David Cameron: 'we cannot afford not to modernise the NHS' ## The Prime Minister has warned that now or never for NHS reform as he defended his plans for a radical-shake up of the health service. 560 315 TelegraphPlayer-8264204 1:01PM GMT 17 Jan 2011 [Comments][1] In a keynote speech at the Royal Society of Arts in London, Mr Cameron insisted that change was essential. "Every year without modernisation the costs of our public services escalate. Demand rises, the chains of commands can grow, costs may go up, inefficiencies become more entrenched. "Pretending that there is some 'easy option' of sticking with the status quo and hoping that a little bit of extra money will smooth over the challenges is a complete fiction. Related Content * ## [NHS reforms: 'Doing nothing will end in tears' warns Cameron][2] [X][3] Share & bookmark Delicious Facebook Google Messenger Reddit Twitter Digg Fark LinkedIn Google Buzz StumbleUpon Y! Buzz [What are these?][4] * Share: [Share][3] [ ][5] [ ][6] [Tweet][7] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/8264204/David-Cameron-we-cannot-afford-not- to-modernise-the-NHS.html Telegraph ## [Health][8] * ### [News Video »][9] * ### [David Cameron »][10] More Video ## [Telegraph TV][11] [![Meet some of the bacteria that make up 90 per cent of the living cells in your body][12] ][13] ### [Meet your bacteria][13] [![Spring hay fever season: scanning electron microscope pictures of pollen grains][14] ][15] ### [Pollen grains up close][15] [![Elizabeth Hurley ][16] ][17] ### [Liz Hurley's tips for looking good][17] [![Telegraph Medical Insurance][18]][19] ### [Telegraph Medical Insurance][19] [![Department cuts guide][20]][21] [![telegraph-medical-insurance][22]][19] [![Amazing pollen pictures][23]][24] [![21 women's beauty products: women's makeup, perfume, hair products][25]][26] [X][3] Share & bookmark Delicious Facebook Google Messenger Reddit Twitter Digg Fark LinkedIn Google Buzz StumbleUpon Y! Buzz [What are these?][4] Share: * [ ][3] * [ ][5] * [ ][6] * [Tweet][7] * Advertisement ![][27] telegraphuk Please enable JavaScript to view the [comments powered by Disqus.][28] [blog comments powered by Disqus][29] [![tele_med_insur][30]][31] [LATEST NEWS VIDEO »][9] [![Barack Obama arrives in Poland as it seeks to improve Russia ties][32] ][33] ### [Obama praises Poland's 'pragmatic' approach towards Russia][33] 28 May 2011 [![Egypt eased travel restrictions for residents of the Gaza Strip, allowing nearly 300 people to cross into its territory at the Rafah border in the first hour after it opened.][34] ][35] ### [Egypt eases travel restrictions for Gaza][35] 28 May 2011 [![Joplin tornado: death toll reaches 132][36] ][37] ### [132 people dead in Joplin][37] 28 May 2011 [![Janet Brown, the actress best-known for impersonating Margaret Thatcher, has passed away aged 87. Here she sends up the former Prime Minister the morning after she took power in 1979.][38] ][39] ### [Janet Brown spoofs Margaret Thatcher][39] 27 May 2011 [![Det Sup Rob Mason says there is no evidence the violent deaths of two teenagers in Milton Keynes were gang-related and quashed rumours that the men were in hiding. ][40] ][41] ### [Two teenagers shot dead in Milton Keynes][41] 27 May 2011 [![Mr Cameron is attending the G8 Summit without his wife Samantha ][42] ][43] ### [David Cameron launches passionate defence of aid budget][43] 27 May 2011 [![Boris Johnson test drives new London Routemaster bus][44] ][45] ### [Boris tests new London bus][45] 27 May 2011 [![Flight recorders may provide Air France crash clues][46] ][47] ### [Air France recorders may give crash clues][47] 27 May 2011 ### [More LATEST NEWS VIDEO][9] Advertisement [WATCH MORE »][48] [![Flight recorders may provide Air France crash clues][46] ][47] ### [Air France recorders may give crash clues][47] [![penguin at London Zoo][49] ][50] ### [Penguins' new London Zoo pool][50] [TELEGRAPH MEDICAL INSURANCE »][51] * [Calculators][52] * [Advice][53] Loading var puffs_8122050 = new Array();