Use private sector to tackle NHS waiting lists, urges Keir Starmer
Daniel Martin
Sat, January 7, 2023
Sir Keir Starmer - Anadolu Agency
More than 200,000 extra patients on waiting lists could get treatment each year if private capacity was used effectively, Sir Keir Starmer said on Saturday night.
The Labour leader urged Rishi Sunak to match his party’s “bold” plans to tackle the waiting list crisis, as he highlighted 13 years of Tory “failure” on the NHS.
He told The Telegraph that Labour will “give Britain its NHS back” by “making the health service fit for the future" and using private sector capacity.
Sir Keir said Mr Sunak should “take his lead from Labour”, adding: “People waiting for a doctor’s appointment, test results, and terrifyingly, an ambulance need urgent action.
"Labour has a bold plan to slash waiting times by temporarily ramping up partnerships with private providers. I'm urging the Prime Minister to use it.
"But, although vital, it would be just a short reprieve. My Labour government would give Britain its NHS back, through a decade long programme of renewal and reform, to make the health service fit for the future. No more sticking plaster politics."
In a clear sign that he plans to align himself with the Blair era and reject the politics of Corbyn, the Labour leader highlighted his party’s plans to build bold partnerships with private hospitals.
Private hospitals currently operating under capacity
Private hospitals are operating under capacity at present, and Wes Streeting, the shadow health secretary, has said such partnerships could see an additional 230,000 patients receiving treatment if their spare capacity was used for the NHS.
This is because the independent sector has the capacity to do 30 per cent more NHS work than they did before the pandemic, but this is not being used effectively.
This equates to an extra 230,000 patients a year.
Sir Keir has also promised to hand power and choice to patients across the UK through a new Take Back Control Act, and the establishment of a new National Care Service to tackle the social care crisis.
His call comes 13 years after David Cameron kicked off his party’s general election campaign by claiming he would “cut the deficit, not the NHS”.
New analysis shows NHS deterioration under Tories
But new analysis from Labour lays bare how on various measurements, the NHS has got worse over those 13 years in five areas.
First, a total of 7.2 million people are now waiting for treatment. Even before the pandemic this number was 4.6million, but when Labour left office it was just 2.6 million.
Second, four in 10 people attending A&E now wait more than four hours to be seen. Under Labour, 95 per cent of patients were seen in under four hours.
Third, a quarter of all patients admitted currently wait more than four hours to get onto a ward. Under Labour, fewer than one in 50 admitted patients faced waits of more than four hours.
Fourth, more than 1.3 million people are currently waiting more than a month to see their GP – and there are currently 4,500 fewer GPs in England than a decade ago.
And fifth, public satisfaction with the NHS is now at a 25-year low of 36 per cent. By the end of Labour’s time in office it was at a high of 70 per cent.
Starmer attacks Tories over NHS crisis and claims ‘we desperately need a change’
Bill McLoughlin
Sun, January 8, 2023
(Sky News )
Keir Starmer has attacked the Tories for the current NHS crisis as he claimed the country “ desperately needs achange”.
After Rishi Sunak met health and social care leaders on Saturday, Sir Keir claimed the NHS isn’t just “on its knees, it’s on its face”.
Acknowledging the need for a new Government, Sir Keir told Sky News’ Sophy Ridge: “We’ve got to acknowledge that the health service is not just on its knees, it’s on its face there are 7.2 million people on the waiting list.
"Speak to anyone who works in the NHS and they’ll tell you just how stressed it is. My wife works in the NHS so I know this first hand."
He added: "Just at the moment we’ve got a crisis and it’s the worst crisis we’ve ever had and that’s because we’ve had 13 years of neglect.
“Of course Covid put extra pressure on the NHS but the waiting lists were 4.6 million before we went in to Covid."
Despite the current winter crisis within the NHS, Mr Sunak welcomed the positive talks which were held at Downing Street on Saturday.
The Prime Minister has pledged to the public that he will reduce hospital waiting times, cut the numbers of those crossing the Channel on small boats and reduce inflation as part of his promises to the public.
Despite the Prime Minister’s pledges, Sir Keir added: “2023 is the chance for us to set out what a bold reforming Labour government will do.”
“We desperately need change. What I want to do is to set out that case for change, not just what the change will be, but also how we’re going to bring it.”
Daniel Martin
Sat, January 7, 2023
Sir Keir Starmer - Anadolu Agency
More than 200,000 extra patients on waiting lists could get treatment each year if private capacity was used effectively, Sir Keir Starmer said on Saturday night.
The Labour leader urged Rishi Sunak to match his party’s “bold” plans to tackle the waiting list crisis, as he highlighted 13 years of Tory “failure” on the NHS.
He told The Telegraph that Labour will “give Britain its NHS back” by “making the health service fit for the future" and using private sector capacity.
Sir Keir said Mr Sunak should “take his lead from Labour”, adding: “People waiting for a doctor’s appointment, test results, and terrifyingly, an ambulance need urgent action.
"Labour has a bold plan to slash waiting times by temporarily ramping up partnerships with private providers. I'm urging the Prime Minister to use it.
"But, although vital, it would be just a short reprieve. My Labour government would give Britain its NHS back, through a decade long programme of renewal and reform, to make the health service fit for the future. No more sticking plaster politics."
In a clear sign that he plans to align himself with the Blair era and reject the politics of Corbyn, the Labour leader highlighted his party’s plans to build bold partnerships with private hospitals.
Private hospitals currently operating under capacity
Private hospitals are operating under capacity at present, and Wes Streeting, the shadow health secretary, has said such partnerships could see an additional 230,000 patients receiving treatment if their spare capacity was used for the NHS.
This is because the independent sector has the capacity to do 30 per cent more NHS work than they did before the pandemic, but this is not being used effectively.
This equates to an extra 230,000 patients a year.
Sir Keir has also promised to hand power and choice to patients across the UK through a new Take Back Control Act, and the establishment of a new National Care Service to tackle the social care crisis.
His call comes 13 years after David Cameron kicked off his party’s general election campaign by claiming he would “cut the deficit, not the NHS”.
New analysis shows NHS deterioration under Tories
But new analysis from Labour lays bare how on various measurements, the NHS has got worse over those 13 years in five areas.
First, a total of 7.2 million people are now waiting for treatment. Even before the pandemic this number was 4.6million, but when Labour left office it was just 2.6 million.
Second, four in 10 people attending A&E now wait more than four hours to be seen. Under Labour, 95 per cent of patients were seen in under four hours.
Third, a quarter of all patients admitted currently wait more than four hours to get onto a ward. Under Labour, fewer than one in 50 admitted patients faced waits of more than four hours.
Fourth, more than 1.3 million people are currently waiting more than a month to see their GP – and there are currently 4,500 fewer GPs in England than a decade ago.
And fifth, public satisfaction with the NHS is now at a 25-year low of 36 per cent. By the end of Labour’s time in office it was at a high of 70 per cent.
Starmer attacks Tories over NHS crisis and claims ‘we desperately need a change’
Bill McLoughlin
Sun, January 8, 2023
(Sky News )
Keir Starmer has attacked the Tories for the current NHS crisis as he claimed the country “ desperately needs achange”.
After Rishi Sunak met health and social care leaders on Saturday, Sir Keir claimed the NHS isn’t just “on its knees, it’s on its face”.
Acknowledging the need for a new Government, Sir Keir told Sky News’ Sophy Ridge: “We’ve got to acknowledge that the health service is not just on its knees, it’s on its face there are 7.2 million people on the waiting list.
"Speak to anyone who works in the NHS and they’ll tell you just how stressed it is. My wife works in the NHS so I know this first hand."
He added: "Just at the moment we’ve got a crisis and it’s the worst crisis we’ve ever had and that’s because we’ve had 13 years of neglect.
“Of course Covid put extra pressure on the NHS but the waiting lists were 4.6 million before we went in to Covid."
Despite the current winter crisis within the NHS, Mr Sunak welcomed the positive talks which were held at Downing Street on Saturday.
The Prime Minister has pledged to the public that he will reduce hospital waiting times, cut the numbers of those crossing the Channel on small boats and reduce inflation as part of his promises to the public.
Despite the Prime Minister’s pledges, Sir Keir added: “2023 is the chance for us to set out what a bold reforming Labour government will do.”
“We desperately need change. What I want to do is to set out that case for change, not just what the change will be, but also how we’re going to bring it.”
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