LONDON, Oct 20 (Reuters) - The National Health Service is close to the edge of being overwhelmed in many parts of Britain and pressure is only going to increase as winter approaches, the head of a healthcare system body said on Wednesday.

"I talk to health leaders every day, and I have literally not spoken to any leader who doesn't say that their service is under intense pressure now. This is the middle of October. Things are only going to get worse," Matthew Taylor, Chief Executive of the NHS Confederation told BBC Radio, calling for COVID-19 measures such as mask-wearing and working from home.

"The health service is right at the edge... if you push much further we will not be able to provide the level of service that people need to have."

(Reporting by Alistair Smout; editing by Guy Faulconbridge)