NHS chief says service faces ‘enormous challenges’ as experts warn it ‘may not reach 100th anniversary’
The National Health Service faces a future of “enormous challenges”, its chief executive has warned on its 75th birthday.
In a speech to mark the anniversary of its creation, Amanda Pritchard, the head of the NHS in England, described the publicly-funded service as a “cornerstone of national life” in Britain.
But she said its staff were battling a combination of COVID backlogs and record demand for services – challenges that workers were ready to meet “head on”.
The health chief also said the service would “continue to embrace” technology – something that could help tackle some of the challenges the NHS faced.
It comes as experts warned that the NHS – created in July 1948 – may not reach its 100th birthday without more resources and fundamental reforms.
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Amanda Pritchard, chief executive of NHS England speaking at the NHS anniversary ceremony at Westminster Abbey
The warning, by three leading think-tanks – the King’s Fund, the Health Foundation and the Nuffield Trust – blamed short-term policymaking and a decade of underinvestment, which they said had left the NHS in a “critical condition”.
Separately, NHS Providers – which represents hospital trusts – warned of “enormous pressures” amid a record rise in demand for care and “the biggest financial squeeze in its history”.
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Speaking during a special anniversary ceremony at Westminster Abbey – attended by dignitaries including Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh – Ms Pritchard said: “Since the day it was founded, the NHS has continually innovated and adapted to meet the changing needs of our patients and communities.
“Recent years have brought a once-in-a-century global health emergency and unprecedented challenges. But throughout, our staff, volunteers and partners up and down the country have continued to do what they do best – looking after patients and their loved ones.
The Duke of Edinburgh speaks to Nurse May Parsons
Nurse May Parsons in the procession at the start of the service
“In doing so they provided a beacon of hope for a nation during dark and uncertain times. It is therefore little wonder that the NHS remains the institution that makes our nation most proud to be British – a cornerstone of national life and our shared identity.”
Speaking to journalists at the event, she also addressed the “enormous challenges” faced by staff, including “recovering services, addressing COVID backlogs that inevitably built up over the pandemic and dealing with record demand for services”.
“This milestone 75th anniversary is an opportunity for us to reflect on their hard work and our achievements but to look to the future of the health service too,” she added.
Professor Sir Stephen Powis, national medical director for the health service in England, also said that staff were meeting these new challenges “head on”.
Waiting lists a ‘major issue’
In an interview with Sky News, Health Secretary Steve Barclay refused to accept that Conservative spending cuts have played a role in problems faced by the health service – blaming an ageing population, rising costs and the pandemic instead.
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Health secretary: ‘The NHS needs to evolve’
But Sir Julian Hartley, chief executive of NHS Providers, told Sky News: “It is important to remember that it wasn’t just the pandemic.
“From 2010 to 2019, the NHS spent 18% less than 14 other European countries, so in terms of investment in the NHS, and indeed social care – those are critical issues to resolve.”
He said the NHS is the “most pressurised” it has been in his 30-year career, with its challenges including a rise in demand for emergency care, a lack of reform in social care and a staffing crisis.
The size of the waiting list – currently a record 7.4 million people in England – is also a “major issue”, he said.
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While measures have been announced to address some of the problems, such as the recently unveiled long-term workforce plan, Sir Julian said “that is against the backdrop of enormous pressures of industrial action, of the biggest financial squeeze the NHS has seen for some time”.
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‘How high will NHS waiting list go?’
The warning came after health minister Maria Caulfield told Sky News that the record-high waiting list “will go up before it comes down”, because the NHS is “offering more procedures”.
She could not detail how much she expects the list to rise by, but insisted that the time between referral and treatment is falling.
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Labour: ‘The NHS is in jeopardy’
Ms Caulfield said that the NHS will be “thriving” in 25 years’ time, despite assessments from think-tanks that its future hangs in the balance.
World
European leaders to meet in Ukraine for ‘coalition of the willing’ talks – and issue call to Russia
Sir Keir Starmer will join other European leaders in Kyiv on Saturday for talks on the “coalition of the willing”.
The prime minister is attending the event alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, recently-elected German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
It will be the first time the leaders of the four countries will travel to Ukraine at the same time – on board a train to Kyiv – with their meeting hosted by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
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Sir Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz travelling in the saloon car of a special train to Kiev. Pic: Reuters
Military officers from around 30 countries have been involved in drawing up plans for the coalition, which would provide a peacekeeping force in the event of a ceasefire being agreed between Russia and Ukraine.
Ahead of the meeting on Saturday, Sir Keir, Mr Macron, Mr Tusk and Mr Merz released a joint statement voicing support for Ukraine and calling on Russia to agree to a 30-day ceasefire.
Sir Keir and Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a meeting in March. Pic: AP
“We reiterate our backing for President Trump’s calls for a peace deal and call on Russia to stop obstructing efforts to secure an enduring peace,” they said.
“Alongside the US, we call on Russia to agree a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire to create the space for talks on a just and lasting peace.”
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The leaders said they were “ready to support peace talks as soon as possible”.
But they warned that they would continue to “ratchet up pressure on Russia’s war machine” until Moscow agrees to a lasting ceasefire.
“We are clear the bloodshed must end, Russia must stop its illegal invasion, and Ukraine must be able to prosper as a safe, secure and sovereign nation within its internationally recognised borders for generations to come,” their statement added.
“We will continue to increase our support for Ukraine.”
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The European leaders are set to visit the Maidan, a central square in Ukraine’s capital where flags represent those who died in the war.
They are also expected to host a virtual meeting for other leaders in the “coalition of the willing” to update them on progress towards a peacekeeping force.
This force “would help regenerate Ukraine’s armed forces after any peace deal and strengthen confidence in any future peace”, according to Number 10.
World
Ten explosions near international airport in India-administered part of Kashmir, officials say
Ten explosions have been heard near Srinagar International Airport in India-administered parts of Kashmir, officials have told Reuters news agency.
The blasts followed blackouts caused by multiple projectiles, which were seen in the sky above the city of Jammu earlier on Friday.
Explosions were also heard in the Sikh holy city of Amritsar, in the neighbouring Punjab state, according to Reuters.
An Indian military official told the agency that “drones have been sighted” and “they are being engaged”.
It comes as tensions between India and Pakistan across the line of control around the region of Kashmir have boiled over this week, leading to fears of a wider conflict.
On Wednesday morning, India carried out missile strikes in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered parts of the disputed region.
The retaliation came weeks after 26 people, mainly Indian tourists, were shot dead by gunmen in an India-administered part of Kashmir last month.
The government in India said it hit nine “terrorist infrastructure” sites, while Pakistan said it was not involved in the April attack and the sites were not militant bases.
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Explained: India-Pakistan conflict
Around 48 people have been killed since Wednesday, according to casualty estimates on both sides – which have not been independently verified.
India also suspended its top cricket tournament, the Indian Premier League, as a result of rising tensions, while the Pakistan Super League moved the remainder of its season to the United Arab Emirates.
Meanwhile, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said at a conference on Friday that the US is in constant contact with both India and Pakistan.
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Conclaves are famously unpredictable affairs – and once again the election of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as the new pope caught many by surprise.
The newly elected Pope Leo XIV won the consensus of the 133 cardinal electors after only four ballots – a fast process for a diverse college of cardinals.
Though his name had circulated among some Vatican watchers, other cardinals had emerged as clear front-runners, including Pietro Parolin – the Vatican’s number two who would have been the first Italian in almost 50 years to become pontiff – or Luis Tagle, a Filipino cardinal looking to become the first Asian pope.
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Instead, it was the first North American to win the highly secretive process.
So, what went on behind the closed doors of the Sistine Chapel?
Until Thursday lunchtime, Cardinal Parolin was ahead, gathering between 45 and 55 votes, sources say.
A substantial number, but well short of the 89 votes he needed for a two-thirds majority.
At this point, Cardinal Prevost had between 34 and 44 votes.
But as the Italian struggled to grow his support during the first three rounds of voting, he stepped down from the race, endorsing Prevost instead, Sky News understands.
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An internal battle between Luis Tagle and Pablo Virgilio David – both cardinals hailing from Asia – cancelled out both of their chances.
And a contender from Africa – the most conservative sector of the church – was never likely for a conclave where the overwhelming majority of cardinals had been appointed by Francis, a progressive pontiff, sources say.
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Moment new pope emerges on balcony
An American pope has long been seen as highly improbable, given the geopolitical power of the US.
But Cardinal Prevost was able to draw from across the groups making up the electors: moderate US cardinals, South American cardinals and many European cardinals all coalesced around him.
Italian newspaper La Repubblica said Prevost “certainly attracted cross-party preferences, both ideologically and geographically”.
“In the conclave he was the least American of Americans: Born in Chicago, he lived 20 years in Peru,” the newspaper said.
It added: “As a man used to teamwork, Prevost appeared to many as the right man to make the papacy evolve into a more collegial form.”
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