Monday, June 17, 2024

UK
BMA takes apart Rishi Sunak’s claim that strikes are to blame for NHS waiting lists with a single fact

13 June, 2024 

“Rishi Sunak seems confused about his pay dispute with doctors."    



Rishi Sunak is continuing to face a backlash for his claim during the leaders debate on Sky News yesterday that doctors’ strikes were to blame for high NHS waiting lists.

The Prime Minister was forced to admit by Sky’s Beth Rigby yesterday that he had failed on his pledge to reduce the waiting lists.

“Yes it has”, Sunak said about waiting lists rising, however he insisted it was going down, but not before taking a dig at striking NHS doctors.

“It’s now going down, the plan is working, we’ve resolved the industrial action,” Sunak said.

He went on to say: “You had a question from a junior doctor earlier.. I think everyone knows the impact the industrial action has had”.

His answer led to boos from the audience and the backlash to his comments has continued.

The British Medical Association (BMA), has also condemned Sunak, pointing out crucially that waiting lists were already at a record high before any strikes started.

The BMA posted on X: “Rishi Sunak seems confused about his pay dispute with doctors.

“Strikes are NOT to blame for waiting lists, which were already at a record high before any strikes started.

“And junior doctors are NOT the only group in dispute, as he’s already been reminded.”

Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward

Leaders Debate: Audience boos Rishi Sunak as he blames striking NHS workers for waiting list rises
12 June, 2024 
Left Foot Forward 

Excruciating exchange as Sunak is confronted over rising NHS waiting lists


TweetShareWhatsAppMail


Rishi Sunak was grilled by Beth Rigby about the Tory Party’s dire record on NHS waiting lists and, in an excruciating exchange, he was forced to confront the fact that he failed on his pledge to reduce the waiting lists.

“Yes it has”, Sunak said about waiting lists rising, however he insisted it was going down, but not before taking a dig at striking NHS doctors.

“It’s now going down, the plan is working, we’ve resolved the industrial action,” Sunak said.

He went on to say: “You had a question from a junior doctor earlier.. I think everyone knows the impact the industrial action has had”.

Following this statement audible groans and loud boos could be heard from the audience.

“So it’s the doctor’s fault,” Rigby said.

Rishi Sunak looked uncomfortable however went on to double down on his statement, saying that since resolving most of the industrial disputes, “what you’re now seeing is numbers coming down”.

To which Rigby replied: “I might have not done brilliantly at maths at school but I know that 7.2m to 7.5m is going up.”

Her response received laughter and applause from the audience.



“An NHS for people not profit” – Green Party co-leader rails against NHS privatisation in leaders’ debate

13 June, 2024 
 Left Foot Forward

Carla Denyer also called for more investment in the NHS


The first question of the second seven-way televised general election debate focussed on how political parties are planning to fix Britain’s creaking NHS and public services.

During the debate, the Green Party’s co-leader Carla Denyer criticised the role of privatisation in the health service and made the case for a publicly owned NHS.

Responding to the question, Denyer said: “The NHS is in crisis. And the Conservatives’ answer of a workforce plan doesn’t help when they’re refusing to pay healthcare workers properly. They’re pouring water into a leaky bucket because people are leaving the service for better pay and better conditions elsewhere.

“It also doesn’t help what Labour are proposing – opening the door to more privatisation in our health service. The answer is investment, and that’s why the Green Party is clear that we would make transformative investment into not only the NHS, but also social care which helps to take pressure off the NHS.

“The Green Party will always stand for an NHS for people not profit.”

The debate is being broadcast on ITV.

No comments:

Post a Comment