Virus exposed underfunding of UK health system, says EU

BRUSSELS yesterday criticised the UK’S health system and said the pandemic had exposed NHS “weaknesses”.

The European Commission said that the pandemic exposed a lack of money spent on staff, infrastructure and equipment.

Brussels’ criticism last night angered Brexiteer MPS.

Andrew Bridgen said: “The commission won’t have to bother marking our homework after Dec 31 when we have left the transition period.

“We probably have one of the very few free-at-the-point-of-need health services in the world and, unlike some of our European neighbours, fortunately our health service has never been overwhelmed during the crisis.”

The EU executive called for greater investment in the British healthcare system to enable it to face similar outbreaks in the future.

The commission produces regular economic policy recommendations for its member states, which were introduced after the financial crisis a decade ago.

They have never been binding on the UK and have no legal consequences, except for Eurozone countries.

Although Britain left the EU at the end of January, it is still sent the reports during the transition period, which has deep-frozen UK membership of the bloc until the end of the year.

“The pandemic has revealed weaknesses in the preparedness and capacity of the health systems in the UK response to such outbreaks, notably in terms of facilities, staff and supplies,” the commission said.

“Managing similar crises in the future calls for investment in UK health systems, including effective and wellresourced public health measures,” the policy recommendation published yesterday said.

“These investments should aim at providing the necessary equipment, facilities and the required skilled labour, and overall, the capacity to deliver all expected regular healthcare services alongside the care for patients with Covid-19 or similar diseases.”