Health Secretary Wes Streeting Vows to Slash NHS Waiting Lists by Millions by 2029 Amid New Challenges

Health Secretary Wes Streeting expressed to Sky News' Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips his commitment to significantly reducing NHS waiting lists by 2029, stating he will take all necessary measures to achieve this goal.

Political correspondent @alixculbertson

Sunday, September 8, 2024, 11:

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The health secretary has stated that by the 2029 general election, the NHS must significantly reduce its waiting lists by millions.

During an interview on Sky News' Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, Wes Streeting expressed his readiness to utilize all necessary measures, such as involving the private sector, to reduce waiting lists.

He stated that by the end of this parliamentary term, the NHS waiting list must be reduced by millions.

Mr. Streeting shared his remarks just before the release of Lord Darzi’s study on the NHS, which revealed several problems such as declining child immunization rates, a significant 82% rise in hospital admissions for eating disorders among children and adolescents since the 2019-2020 period, and a high rate of obesity, affecting one in three children from low-income families by the time they reach 11 years old.

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The study also indicates that the advancements in treating heart and circulatory diseases achieved in the last half-century are starting to decline.

Mr. Streeting expressed his desire to abolish the "two-tier system" in which individuals with financial means opt for private options, leaving those without such resources at a disadvantage.

He emphasized that any available resources in the private sector should be utilized by the NHS to reduce the backlog of patients.

"He pointed out that reconstructing the NHS is a process that requires time."

"In the interim, I am exploring all possible avenues to ensure that individuals receive prompt and safe treatment."

"You can reduce those waiting lists, restore people's health, and help them return to their jobs or enjoy their retirement."

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Mr. Streeting stated that his commitment to center-left values prevents him from allowing "working-class individuals to endure longer wait times when there is available capacity in the private sector that could be utilized through the NHS to expedite their treatment."

When asked if general practitioners will receive the 11% salary increase they are seeking, following Labour's approval of wage hikes for other public sector employees, Mr. Streeting did not guarantee that they would.

He mentioned that since taking on the role of health secretary, he has engaged in multiple discussions with the GP committee of the British Medical Association (BMA).

Nevertheless, he mentioned that he aims to avoid creating false hopes, pointing to the reduction of the winter fuel subsidy for certain retirees as an instance of the tough choices the government is prepared to undertake to stimulate the economy.

"He mentioned that achieving equilibrium in the government's budget is challenging."

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Discover more: Starmer pledges to tackle difficult choices as pension credit registrations double.

Challenging analysis, but what solutions will Lord Darzi suggest to improve the NHS?

Health correspondent

The NHS report authored by Lord Darzi is set to present some sobering findings. A sneak peek at the contents reveals a rather bleak outlook.

The ex-health minister, known for pioneering cancer therapies, has quickly pinpointed the necessary actions.

At the start of July, Wes Streeting initiated a comprehensive and candid evaluation of the shortcomings within the NHS. This report is set to be released this week, following a quick turnaround of less than two months.

This is due to the fact that Lord Darzi's conclusions are not groundbreaking. The information already exists. The issues are widely recognized. Unprecedented waiting lists, intolerable delays in treatment, an inadequate mental health infrastructure, and growing health disparities that prevent our most vulnerable populations from accessing essential health services.

This is just the tip of the iceberg.

It's unclear what measures Lord Darzi suggests to improve the NHS.

Keir Starmer speaks about "reform", though it will require more than just that.

A survey released today by NHS Providers highlights severe financial challenges confronting the healthcare system, with more than half of the trusts that participated in the survey indicating worries about meeting operational goals with the existing budgets.

The government-commissioned review of the NHS, initiated in July and conducted by Lord Darzi, a prominent cancer surgeon and ex-Labour health minister, is set to be released on Thursday.

Sir Keir Starmer described the NHS as "broken," anticipating the review to expose that an excessive number of individuals are being failed by the system.

Shadow Health Secretary Victoria Atkins expressed her worries about Lord Darzi's connections to the Labour Party, pointing out that the NHS in Wales has been under Labour's management for over a century and describing its condition as "dismal."

"She expressed concern that the report might just be a pretext for the Labour Party to increase taxes in the upcoming October budget," she stated.

"The government was not transparent about the winter fuel payments. They are also lacking transparency regarding taxes. Moreover, we need to engage in a mature discussion about the NHS, but their current approach is inappropriate."

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