No more empty NHS promises
Accounts of missed targets in A&E and delayed ambulance transfers make grim reading. Each of these reflects an NHS in crisis, and the problems predate both Covid and strikes. Underfunding and lack of long term workforce planning, low pay and 121,000 staff vacancies have combined to severely weaken services.
While 50,000 new nurses (93 per cent recruited from overseas) have joined the NHS, 40,000 have left (many of them senior and experienced staff ). In addition, fewer non-Covid beds, infection control measures, the discharge log-jam, lack of social and community care and high staff sickness rates add up to system failure.
In 2015 the NHS still topped the league table of health services in rich nations but has now fallen far from this position because of the difficulties in accessing treatment and lack of investment. The NHS has not been allowed to grow as the population has increased and more people live with chronic conditions. We have been spending around £40bn less each year on health services than some of our close European neighbours.
The prime minister may claim to have put in place an inadequate £1bn winter rescue package, but a BBC investigation showed of 800 promised ambulances, only 51 were new and the rest replacements.
Similarly with the promise of 5,000 additional new beds, the number of acute medical beds actually fell by over 3,000.
There are now two and half million people with long term sickness unable to work.
The Conservative government is responsible for massive damage to the NHS and the effects are clear for all to see.
It is crucial that this situation is reversed by increasing funding to a European level, rebuilding crumbling infrastructure, and recruiting and retaining more staff. This will improve patient care and strengthen the economy. No more empty promises please.