'Use lottery cash for the NHS'

The public prefer extra NHS cash to come from the lottery

Three-quarters of the public want more lottery money to be spent on the NHS, according to research.

The British Medical Association (BMA) commissioned research into public opinions on how extra money should be raised for the NHS as part of its fundamental review of health service finances.

The MORI study found that 74% of those surveyed thought that lottery cash should be used to give the NHS a funding boost.

People have always been prepared to gamble their money on a good cause

Dr James Appleyard, British Medical Association

This was by far the most popular option for increasing NHS funding.

Even without prompting by the researchers, many people said lottery cash should be diverted into the NHS.

People were then given a list of possible ways to increasing NHS funding.

The next most popular method was to siphon cash away from other areas of government spending. This was particularly popular among those aged under 34.

An increase in taxes was only favoured by just over a quarter of respondents.

The idea was more popular among older people, and those in the highest socio-economic classes.

Only 20% advocated some people having private healthcare.

Significant finding

Dr James Appleyard, BMA treasurer, said: "The fact that people are choosing the lottery as a method for raising more money for the NHS is significant.

"This may reflect local experiences of funding for special healthcare projects which can incorporate lotteries, raffles and sweepstakes.

"People have always been prepared to gamble their money on a good cause."

However, Dr Appleyard warned that lottery money should only be channelled into specific projects, as it was not a guaranteed funding stream and dependent on the popularity of the game with the public.

When the lottery was set up by then Prime Minister John Major it was not meant to replace core government spending.

Health was not among the five good causes: sport, the arts, heritage, charity and millennium projects.

However in 1998 Tony Blair introduced the "sixth good cause", the New Opportunities Fund, to fund health, education and environmental projects.

The fund's current 13% of the lottery cake will rise to 33% on December 31 when the Millennium Commission's lottery funding ends.