NHS must ‘reform or die’, warns PM – as new report says service in ‘critical condition’

Published

2 months ago

September 12, 2024

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Sir Keir Starmer will warn the NHS must “reform or die”, as the government publishes an independent investigation into the state of the health service.

The report – ordered by Health Secretary Wes Streeting days after he took on the role – was carried out by peer and surgeon Lord Darzi.

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It will conclude the NHS is in a “critical condition”, with record waiting lists and too much of its budget spent in hospitals, as well as saying the nation’s health had significantly deteriorated over the past 15 years.

However, Lord Darzi will also say the service’s vital signs “remain strong”, as the sector is filled with staff who “shared passion and determination to make the NHS better for our patients”.

In a speech on Thursday, the prime minister will point to the probe’s findings and lay the blame at the Conservatives’ door – especially the impact of their 2012 Health and Social Care Act, which the report described as a “calamity” that had “proved disastrous”, as well as claims there has been a decade of underinvestment.

But he will offer his own solutions, with a 10-year plan from Labour that promises to have “the fingerprints of NHS staff and patients all over it”.

Sir Keir will say: “Our NHS went into the pandemic in a much more fragile state. We had higher bed occupancy rates, fewer doctors, fewer nurses and fewer beds than most other high income health systems in the world.

“And let’s be clear about what caused that… a ‘scorched earth’ approach to health reform, the effects of which are still felt to this day.

“The 2010s were a lost decade for our NHS… which left the NHS unable to be there for patients today, and totally unprepared for the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow.”

The prime minister will say there is a “profound responsibility” on the government to address the issues, for both health and economic reasons, promising three “big shifts” in its approach:

• Using more technology to create a “digital NHS”
• Shifting more care out of hospitals and into communities
• Moving from treating sickness to focusing on prevention

Sir Keir will warn that what he calls “the biggest reimagining of our NHS since its birth” will not be “easy or quick”.

But he will add: “What we need is the courage to deliver long-term reform – major surgery not sticking plaster solutions.

“The NHS is at a fork in the road, and we have a choice about how it should meet these rising demands – raise taxes on working people to meet the ever-higher costs of aging population, or reform to secure its future.

“We know working people can’t afford to pay more, so it’s reform or die.”

Report gives Starmer mandate for change

Lord Darzi’s damning report coincides with the publication of the NHS monthly performance data.

The figures will reinforce what the former health minister has laid bare in his blistering assessment of the health service. From A&E to children’s services, mental health to cancer treatment, his conclusion is that patients are being failed.

It is in this state because the NHS has suffered from consecutive body blows – years of chronic underfunding, a growing population with complex health needs and the impact of the pandemic. This should come as no surprise.

The slow, steady decline of the NHS has been evident for some time. The challenge facing the government is its response.

What does it do now? Lord Darzi recommends three key areas for urgent action: NHS reform that will see a shift away from hospitals towards primary care and community-based services, tackling the NHS estate, and utilising developing technology to improve patient care.

The government has already said it is going to prioritise the longest waits on the elective register. But should it do that while ignoring the root causes as outlined in the report?

There is the danger then that targets will continue to be missed in the mid to longer term.

The challenge facing the government is it does not have time to waste or money to spare. It is evident that fixing the NHS will need both.

Lord Darzi says there is no quick fix and it is likely the prime minister knows already what action must be taken first.

He knows too, that this report gives him a mandate for transformative and desperately needed change.

Shadow health secretary Victoria Atkins said the Tories would “review this report carefully”, but claimed Labour had appeared to have “missed an opportunity to put together meaningful plans for reform”.

She added: “We Conservatives recognise that investment has to be married with reform. This is why we brought forward long-term plans for productivity, tech, ‘Pharmacy First’, virtual wards, attracting pharmaceutical research and training and retaining staff. We did this whilst boosting investment in the NHS in real terms every single year.

“The Labour government will be judged on its actions. It has stopped new hospitals from being built, scrapped our social care reforms and taken money from pensioners to fund unsustainable pay rises with no gains in productivity. They need to move from rhetoric to action.”

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey, who campaigned heavily on health and social care during the last election, said the report’s findings showed the NHS was “on its knees after years of the Conservatives driving local health services into the ground”.

He said fixing the problem was “this country’s greatest challenge”, as he called for the government to “make it their top priority”, adding: “That must include recruiting more GPs, fixing our crumbling hospitals and crucially tackling the social care crisis that has been ignored for far too long.”

UK

Starmer says UK will ‘set out a plan’ to raise defence spending to 2.5%

Published

3 hours ago

November 23, 2024

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Starmer says UK will 'set out a plan' to raise defence spending to 2.5%

The UK will “set out a plan” to lift defence spending to 2.5% of national income in the spring, the prime minister has said, finally offering a timeframe for an announcement on the long-awaited hike after mounting criticism.

Sir Keir Starmer gave the date during a phone call with Mark Rutte, the secretary general of NATO, in the wake of threats by Moscow to target UK and US military facilities following a decision by London and Washington to let Ukraine fire their missiles inside Russia.

There was no clarity though on when the 2.5% level will be achieved. The UK says it currently spends around 2.3% of GDP on defence.

Ukraine war latest: Follow live updates

A spokeswoman for Downing Street said that the two men “began by discussing the situation in Ukraine and reiterated the importance of putting the country in the strongest possible position going into the winter”.

They also talked about the deployment of thousands of North Korean soldiers to fight alongside Russia.

“The prime minister underscored the need for all NATO countries to step up in support of our collective defence and updated on the government’s progress on the strategic defence review,” the spokeswoman said.

“His government would set out the path to 2.5% in the spring.”

The defence review will also be published in the spring.

While a date for an announcement on 2.5% will be welcomed by the Ministry of Defence, analysts have long warned that such an increase is still well below the amount that is needed to rebuild the armed forces after decades of decline to meet growing global threats from Russia, an increasingly assertive China, North Korea and Iran.

They say the UK needs to be aiming to hit at least 3% – probably higher.

With Donald Trump returning to the White House, there will be significantly more pressure on the UK and other European NATO allies to accelerate increases in defence spending.

UK

Storm Bert: Snow, rain and wind as weather warnings cover most of UK

Published

5 hours ago

November 23, 2024

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Storm Bert: Snow, rain and wind as weather warnings cover most of UK

Snow, rain and strong winds are expected to disrupt travel plans and potentially cause flooding as Storm Bert hits the UK.

Several weather warnings are in place, while 16 flood alerts have been issued – warning flooding is possible – in England and Scotland.

Most of the UK is affected by yellow warnings for either wind, rain or snow, with a slightly more severe amber warning covering parts of northern England and central Scotland.

Two areas of Ireland have been issued a rare red warning for heavy rain until 10am.

Check out the forecast in your area

London, East Anglia, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Hull and swathes of the Midlands are the only parts with no current warnings in place.

Met Office meteorologist Aidan McGivern described a “multiple hazard event” going into Saturday morning.

“We’ll see two to four hours of heavy snow across parts of northern England and Scotland during Saturday morning,” he said.

“This snow will accumulate thick and fast, with five to 10cm at lower levels and as much as 20 to 40cm over hills accompanied by strong winds.

“You can expect blizzards over hills across northern England and Scotland, atrocious conditions for travelling and going over the hills and also the risk of power interruptions because of snow build up on power lines.

“So all in all, a multiple hazard event as we go into Saturday morning.”

Temperatures will rise quickly as the storm brings milder air from the Atlantic, he said, resulting in a “rapid thaw” by the afternoon.

Where the warnings are and when

South coast – A yellow warning for wind is in place for the entire south coast of England from 3pm until 9pm, with a slight chance of damage to buildings and power cuts.

Southwest – From 6am, a yellow warning for rain is in place in the southwest of England, from Cornwall up to Oxford and stretching to Portsmouth. This is in place until 11.45pm.

Wales – Heavy rain is likely to cause some travel disruption, particularly in South Wales, with a yellow warning across the country lasting 24 hours from 6am.

Northern Ireland – A yellow warning for rain and snow kicked in at midnight and lasts until 11am, likely affecting journey times on roads and rails.

Midlands, north and Scotland – A yellow warning for rain and snow reaching from Stoke and Nottingham up to all of Scotland started at 4am and stays in place until 9am. Manchester, Liverpool and Hull are not affected.

Southern Scotland – An amber warning for snow starts at 7am and ends at midday, covering the Pennines, Yorkshire Dales and some southern parts of Scotland.

Central Scotland – Parts of central Scotland can expect some heavy snowfall, with an amber warning for snow and ice from 7am until 5pm over Aberfeldy and surrounding areas, northwest of Perth and Dundee.

East and west coasts – From 5am until 7pm, a yellow warning for wind covers the entire eastern coasts of Scotland and northern England, down to Grimsby.

The same warning covers much of the western coastline from Wales up to northern Scotland, though Manchester and Liverpool are not included.

What the weather warnings mean

• Yellow – people are advised to check the details of the forecast and consider extra steps to minimise any impact, while disruption is likely, particularly for travel;
• Amber – disruption is more likely and more widespread and people are advised to change plans impacted by weather;
• Red – reserved for very dangerous weather that can pose a danger to life and cause substantial travel disruption.

Travel disruption

While airports are not expecting disruption, rail companies have announced service changes over the weekend.

In Scotland, there will be speed restrictions on the West Highland Line, Highland Mainline, Stranraer Line, Glasgow South Western Line, Far North Line, and West Coast Mainline between Carstairs and the border.

ScotRail has also withdrawn services from Inverness to Elgin, Aberdeen to Inverurie, and Glasgow Queen Street to Oban.

The TransPennine Express, meanwhile, “strongly” urged customers not to travel north of Carlisle on Saturday and Avanti West Coast advised against travel north of Preston.

UK

Gatwick Airport: Police release two people who were detained amid security incident as South Terminal reopens

Published

12 hours ago

November 22, 2024

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Gatwick Airport: Police release two people who were detained amid security incident as South Terminal reopens

Two people detained during a security incident at Gatwick Airport have been allowed to continue their journeys after a suspect package saw a “large part” of the South Terminal evacuated.

The terminal was closed for hours after the discovery of a “suspected prohibited item” in a passenger’s luggage sparked an emergency response. It reopened at around 3.45pm.

Officers from the EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team “made the package safe” before handing the airport back to its operator, Sussex Police said.

Their statement continued: “Two people who were detained while enquiries were ongoing have subsequently been allowed to continue their journeys.

“There will remain an increased police presence in the area to assist with passengers accessing the South Terminal for onward travel.”

The force also thanked the public and airport staff for their patience while the incident was ongoing.

Earlier the airport, which is the UK’s second busiest, said the terminal was evacuated after a “security incident”.

“The earlier security alert has now been resolved and cleared by police,” it later said in a statement on Friday afternoon.

“The South Terminal is reopening to staff and will be open to passengers shortly.”

Gatwick said some flights were cancelled while others were delayed.

It said passengers should contact their airlines for any updates on flights.

Footage on social media taken outside the airport showed crowds of travellers heading away from the terminal building.

“Arrived at London Gatwick for routine connection. Got through customs to find out they’re evacuating the entire airport,” one passenger said.

“Even people through security are being taken outside. Trains shut down,” another passenger added, who said “thousands” of people were forced to leave.

Another passenger said people near the gates were being told to stay there and not go back to the departure lounge.

People outside the airport were handed blankets and water, passengers told Sky News.

The airport said its North Terminal was still operating normally.

Gatwick Express said its trains did not call at Gatwick Airport during the police response, but the airport said trains would start calling there again once the terminal was fully reopened.

More than 600 flights were due to take off or land at Gatwick on Friday, amounting to more than 121,000 passenger seats, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium.