HEALTH experts shone a spotlight yesterday on the devastating effects of the coalition’s cuts to the NHS and warned that the next government will inherit a health service that has run out of money.

The King’s Fund predicted that patients will suffer with longer waiting times, hospital treatment and cancer treatment will get worse and will increase hospital bed occupancy.

The charity said hospitals had overspent their budgets by more than £800 million and the NHS was likely to record a “substantial deficit” for the first time since 2005/6.

King’s Fund’s chief executive Chris Ham accused the coalition of having “wasted” its first three years in power through its Health and Social Care Act reforms.

He concluded: “The next government will inherit a health service that has run out of money and is operating at the very edge of its limits.”