Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Wes Streeting said the “NHS is broken.” The labour government has unearthed many issues and wants to “fix” it. Here’s how it’s going.
“Broken” NHS System
In an interview with Sky News, Wes Streeting, Secretary for State Health and Social Care, said, “The NHS is broken.”
First-Hand NHS Experience
Streeting comes from a background where he has had experience with the NHS; he often expresses gratitude. “The NHS saved my life,” he explained when he went through kidney cancer. Streeting says he is indebted to the NHS, and rebuilding it is his way of “repaying that debt.”
Labour Built the NHS
Streeting said it’s personal to him regarding the NHS because he has a long history with them, as does his family. He also noted that Labour established the NHS and the “values of the Labour party run through the DNA of the NHS,” he added.
Checking What Lies Beneath the Surface
Streeting confirmed in his interview that the government has “ordered an independent investigation into the state of the NHS.” He described the investigation as going into a building that’s in bad shape and “ripping up the carpet” to expose what lies underneath. Only by diagnosis can a doctor treat a patient, he told Sky News.
Independent Investigation
The Health Secretary told Sky News that he has asked Lord Ara Darzi to spearhead the independent investigation into the NHS. Lord Darzi has over 30 years of experience working within the NHS, according to Streeting.
Reform the NHS
After the investigation findings are made clear, the government will work the issues into the 10-year plan to reform the NHS.
Long Waiting List for Medical Treatment
According to the King’s Fund, the NHS has a backlog of patient treatment that continues to rise and is already at a staggering 7 million treatments. Even though performance has stabalised, the waiting list remains long. This figure is from the March update.
Waiting Times
It’s around 90% of people who are waiting for non-surgical treatment, which includes procedures like cataract removal. Currently, patients can wait for an estimated 18 weeks before receiving their first round of treatment. However, the waiting time for treatment has improved as it’s been significantly longer at 52 weeks for treatments.
Referal-To-Treatment
Most of the backlog stems from covid, according to The King’s Fund. Referral-to-treatment, or RTT went down because treating patients with covid was a priority. It’s only since last year that the RTT gained some momentum.
It’s Clear There Are Problems
Streeting said he wants an honest review of the state of the hospital. Currently, it’s undoubtedly clear that it’s in very bad shape with “stagnated” progress. People queue for hours to see a dentist or GP, and that’s just a drop in the ocean.
Trust From the Public?
The interviewer, Sophy Ridge, asked if it was true that “Labour has more trust in the NHS and could resolve more issues?” Streeting said that it could be true “people don’t trust the conservatives with the NHS,” since they left it in such a damaging “state.”
Using Private Sector’s Assistance
The NHS will also rely on the help of private medical establishments, if they have extra capacity, to reduce the waiting list, Streeting confirmed. The Health Secretary said going this route is the “pragmatic” and “principal” thing to do.
Helping Everyone Despite Their “Class”
Streeting believes in the principle of medical care. Instead of having a “two-tier system,” helping each side equally ensures everyone gets the medical treatment they need. The Health Secretary wants to ensure that everyone benefits from health care.
The Road to Mending
The NHS won’t be fixed “overnight;” however, it will take time and “team effort.” In a statement, Streeting said that his department and every government member, plus more than 1.4 million NHS staff, will work towards turning “our health service around.”
Getting Better Sooner & Back to Work
The NHS can also be a source of economic growth, the Secretary of Health said, ensuring that everyone is healthy and back on their feet. Patients can start working again and improving the economy in this way.
Contributing to the Economy
Fixing the NHS would help the economic sector in many ways. He also spoke of pairing them with med-tech and life sciences to uncover groundbreaking medical innovations and research. As part of the way forward, it may include the NHS creating more jobs.
Working to Repair Relationships With Junior Doctors
When asked about the strike and pay raise demand by the junior doctors, Streeting said that they were in the process of meeting in good faith. There would be a possible negotiation on their demand for a 35% increase in wages, he noted.
Former Conservative Health Secretary Ignored the NHS?
Streeting expressed how “shocked” he was when he learned the former health secretary of the conservative government didn’t bother meeting the junior doctors for months on end. The Labour Health Secretary was appalled by the bad state in which the former government had left the NHS as a whole, from the patients to the medical staff.
Working Together
Streeting expressed how “shocked” he was when he learned the former health secretary of the conservative government didn’t bother meeting the junior doctors for months on end. The Labour Health Secretary was appalled by the bad state in which the former government had left the NHS as a whole, from the patients to the medical staff.
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Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Fred Duval.