The Darzi report concluded that years of neglect by previous governments had left the NHS “in critical condition” and unable to give patients the timely care they needed amid an explosion in demand caused by an ageing, growing and increasingly sick population.
It said A&E was in “an awful state” and cited evidence from emergency doctors that long waits were likely to be causing an additional 14,000 deaths a year.
The prime minister said he was “absolutely convinced” that prevention had to be central to his government’s 10-year plan for the NHS, including tackling tooth decay, smoking and obesity. He said he was shocked to find out how many children were admitted to hospital to have rotting teeth removed.
“There’s diet, there’s healthy lifestyle, we are going to have to get into that space,” Starmer said. “I know some prevention measures will be controversial, but I’m prepared to be bold, even in the face of loud opposition. So no, some of our changes won’t be universally popular, we know that, but I will do the right thing for our NHS, our economy and our children.”
Starmer had better be massively increasing healthcare funding before he even thinks about tackling prevention. Otherwise nothing will change and people will continue to die because of funding shortfalls.
Doesn’t sound like that’s his plan:
Sounds like he wants to change the NHS’s priorities before making any new investment.
So another estimated 14,000 deaths per year until he figures out that investment MUST come before reform.
What an idjit.