As a revered institution, the National Health Service (NHS) lies at the heart of the UK’s identity. However, a backlog of 7.3 million patients waiting for NHS treatment, alongside swamped GP and dentist clinics, expose a disquieting state of affairs. With the NHS becoming a focal discussion point in the forthcoming general election, it easily supersedes other topics such as immigration amongst voters.
Both the Conservative and Labour parties have centred their campaign promises around reducing these waiting lists up ahead of the July 4th poll. As per recent surveys, Labour leads by an average of 21 points, and hence it is likely that Wes Streeting, the party’s candidate for Health Secretary, will be assigned the responsibility to ameliorate this situation.
The 41-year-old, known for his eloquence, attended Labour’s health policy roadshow in the West Midlands and Worcester city on Wednesday. Boasting iconic Tudor architecture, a serene river Severn skirting its western border, and the birthplace of the Lea and Perrins group’s Worcestershire Sauce, Worcester is also a key battleground for the upcoming election.
Historically, the party that gains Worcester’s constituency holds the keys to Downing Street – this constituency’s outcome has reflected the result of each election for the last 45 years. The city backed Labour throughout Tony Blair and Gordon Brown’s reign, but returned to the Conservative fold in 2010, a position it has maintained since.
Streeting, a robust centrist echoing a young Tony Blair of the ’90s, alerted voters on Wednesday of the risks associated with a conservative government return, equating it to “giving the matches back to the arsonists.” Elaborating on the gravity of the situation, Streeting warned that under another term with the Tories, the NHS waiting list could exceed 10 million patients. Accompanied by the party leader, Keir Starmer, Streeting also visited student nurses and paramedics at University of Worcester’s medical college.
As universities students clustered in an atrium, Starmer and Streeting relayed their ambition to cut NHS waiting lists by half within the first term of a Labour government. This event served as a distraction for Starmer from the ongoing controversy surrounding Labour MP Diane Abbott’s future. Despite a goal of 92% of NHS patients waiting under 18 weeks for treatment, this standard hasn’t been achieved since 2016. At present, scarcely 43% of patients meet this window.
Excessive wait times for necessary diagnostic scans form a significant part of the issue. Approximately 1.6 million Britons are awaiting scans. To alleviate this bottleneck, Streeting and the Labour party pledged to double the number of scanning machines through capital investment.
Additionally, Streeting’s comprehensive NHS strategy includes a commitment to offering up to 40,000 additional patient appointments weekly by extending opening hours, encouraging staff to work extra hours, and hiring additional doctors and nurses. Labour anticipates funding its health initiative from the £5 billion (€5.9 billion) it plans to recuperate from tax evasion crackdowns annually.
After engaging with students who expressed concerns over staff burnout, Starmer and Streeting relocated to a local football clubhouse to share their cause with the Labour Party members. They heard from individuals who felt let down by the NHS, including Stephen Tyrrel, an RAF veteran who reported waiting for a procedure since 2020.
Streeting spurred on party supporters using humourous rebukes of the Tories, stating that their actions were no laughing matter due to their detrimental impact on the healthcare system. Along the gathering’s outskirts, Labour supporters contemplated the healthcare system’s dire condition. Local resident Richard Shiels who lost his mother recently, criticised the care she was provided, lamenting that the health service was practically beyond salvation.
It would appear that the Shielses, among numerous others, are prepared to trust in the Labour party to rectify the situation.