Blitz Bureau
LONDON: National Health Service hospitals are doing less work for their patients despite being handed more money than ever, a landmark report has found.
The investigation by Lord Darzi, a surgeon and former Health Minister, warns that the NHS is in a “critical condition” with surging waiting lists, poor cancer performance and a struggle to access care, says The Telegraph.
‘Reform or die’
Prime Minister Keir Starmer on September 12 said that the health service must “reform or die”.
Lord Darzi’s damning report found that A&E wait times have swollen so much that a patient in need of care will now typically have 100 people ahead of them in the queue – up from just under 40 people in 2009.
Lord Darzi said the NHS had “more resources than ever before”, with funding of £165 billion – a record outside the pandemic. However, he warned there was an urgent need to boost productivity and shift more care out of hospitals.
His report found that staff were wasting ever more time because of a lack of beds, diagnostics and other kit. The independent investigation was ordered by Wes Streeting, a week after Labour won the election, when he declared the NHS “broken”.
Speaking at an event in central London, the Prime Minister said: “Raise taxes on working people to meet the ever-higher costs of an ageing population – or reform to secure its future.” Ministers have promised to publish a 10-year plan for the NHS in the new year.
Starmer said it would be the “biggest reimagining of the NHS since its birth”, adding that far more care would be delivered in the community, rather than by hospitals.
Analogue to digital
He also promised to move from an “analogue to digital NHS” and for the service to do much more to prevent illhealth as a worklessness crisis holds back the economy.
Starmer pointed the finger of blame for the state of the NHS at the Tories, saying it is “unforgivable”.
