Poorly NHS feels strain

BORIS Johnson’s reluctance to impose further restrictions to control the Omicron variant has put the NHS under unprecedented pressure.

The health service is struggling because of a rise in coronavirus cases and staff shortages.

In some parts of England patients are having to wait several hours to be seen at A&E or for an ambulance to arrive. At least 20 hospitals have declared critical incidents.

This situation has been primarily caused by Covid but it has been made worse by the Government’s failure to invest in the NHS and treat its staff with the respect they deserve.

As a result of Conservative cuts we have just 2.5 hospital beds for every 1,000 people, compared with eight beds per 1,000 in Germany and six per 1,000 in France.

Morale among exhausted NHS staff would be higher if they had not suffered a decade of pay freezes. The Prime Minister has left the NHS on its knees just as we need it most.