A SENIOR health boss has told a Manchester conference the NHS is still `one of the best in the world'.

Prof Bruce Keogh said massive improvements had been made in tackling heart disease - the country's biggest killer for both men and women - with a shift in funding to hardest-hit areas.

And he said there had been huge changes to the culture of the NHS with the end of the `doctor knows best' attitude.

The eminent heart surgeon is the NHS's nation medical director and was speaking to mark the 60th anniversary of the foundation of the service at Trafford hospital.

He said: "Patient satisfaction is high and is steadily improving. More than 40pc of contacts with the NHS are rated excellent and 90pc are good."

But he admitted there were still inequalities with people living in deprived areas more likely to die earlier.

He quoted research which said people in Manchester had the same level of health as they had in 1984 - while people in wealthy areas of the south had high standards of health not likely to be seen in the rest of the country until 2023.

He said: "Medical equipment is becoming more expensive and more money is being spent on people over the age of 60. It will be a challenge for the NHS over the next 50 years but I think there is a commitment that the NHS will remain a tax-funded system."

Prof Keogh was speaking to the British Cardiovascular Society annual conference at Manchester Central. Tweet