NHS ‘broken’ says Starmer as report warns children’s health facing deadly crisis
Children’s health is facing a deadly crisis, with life-threatening illnesses, obesity, eating disorders, and infectious diseases soaring, a shock new government report reveals.
Sir Keir Starmer is blaming the Conservatives for a “broken NHS” and claims the Tories’ NHS reforms are “unforgivable and “hopelessly misconceived”.
The shocking findings on the deteriorating health of the nation’s children are revealed in a study by leading cancer surgeon and former health minister Lord Darzi.
He is raising the alarm bell on issues including:
• Falling vaccination rates for key childhood vaccinations – some declining for a decade – making measles and other infectious diseases more common;
• Prescriptions for ADHD medication for children and young people up 10% in the past year;
• Hospital admissions for children and young people with eating disorders up 82% since 2019-20;
• Children from most deprived backgrounds are now twice as likely to be obese by age five, and one in three children is obese by 11 in the poorest communities;
• Life-threatening and life-limiting conditions among children are up 40% in the past 20 years.
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“Too many are being let down,” Lord Darzi says in his report.
“Childhood is precious because it is brief; too many children are spending too much of it waiting for care. It is apparent that the NHS must do better,” he adds.
Lord Darzi’s report for Health Secretary Wes Streeting also reveals that more than 100,000 infants up to the age of two were left waiting for more than six hours in A&E departments in England last year.
He found a 60% rise in waiting times for that age group over the past 15 years, and 800,000 children and young people on NHS waiting lists for hospital treatment.
File pic: iStock
Some 175,000 were waiting between six and 12 months, and 35,000 waiting for more than a year, the report says.
He also uncovered that nearly 500,000 children and young people were on waiting lists for mental health support and that 160,000 of them had been waiting for over 12 months.
NHS is ‘broken’
Speaking ahead of the report’s publication, Sir Keir said: “The impacts of a broken NHS are being felt across the whole of our society – our children included.
“The challenges we’ve inherited are stark, but I’m determined to fix the foundations so that we not only rebuild our health service, but crucially also reform and renew it for the benefit of future generations.
“That also means equipping the NHS to prevent ill health, not just to treat it – so that all of us can live longer, healthier lives, from childhood to old age.”
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Health secretary: It’s clear to me the NHS is broken
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And in a TV interview, the prime minister said: “Everybody watching this who has used the NHS, or have relatives who have, know that it’s broken, they know that it’s broken, that is unforgivable, the state of our NHS.”
On the reasons for the crisis, Sir Keir said: “The money that was taken out of the NHS, particularly in the early years of the coalition from 2010 onwards, the Lansley reforms, which were hopelessly misconceived, and then of course COVID on top of all that, which has put us in this awful position for the NHS.”
He added: “It’s the last government that broke the NHS. Our job now, through Lord Darzi, is to properly understand how that came about and bring about the reforms, starting with the first steps – the 40,000 extra appointments. But we’ve got to do the hard yards of reform as well.”
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June: Starmer on reducing NHS waiting lists
Responding to the report, general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing Professor Nicola Ranger said that “patient care is not at the standard it should be”.
“School nurse levels were slashed by the last government and that has had direct consequences on children’s health,” she said.
“Today’s children and adolescents, without early years or mental health support, pay a price similar to the most vulnerable adults without care packages.
“This week’s report must begin to provide answers and health and care professionals will look closely at where ministers see their role. A chronically understaffed NHS will remain a broken NHS.”
Shadow health secretary Victoria Atkins said: “After 14 years in opposition, with time to think about the issues facing modern-day healthcare, Labour’s instinct is to politicise children’s health, rather than provide solutions and reform of our NHS.”
She said that the Tories “always acknowledged there are pressures” on the health service, including the “impact of social media” and “growing reluctance in some parts of society to vaccinate children”.
“To find solutions to these issues requires serious and sober thinking, not headline chasing,” she added.
“Sadly, all Labour has done in health since the election is issue press releases, appoint cronies and give a budget-busting pay rise to striking junior doctors, with no plans for reform.”
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Sir Keir Starmer is reshuffling his cabinet following Angela Rayner’s resignation after admitting she had not paid enough stamp duty on the purchase of a new home.
The prime minister’s former right-hand woman stepped down as deputy prime minister, housing secretary and deputy leader of the Labour Party after standards adviser Sir Laurie Magnus found she had breached the ministerial code.
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She paid standard stamp duty on a flat she bought in Hove, East Sussex, in May after taking advice that it counted as her only home due to her disabled son’s trust owning the family home in Ashton-under-Lyne – but it was established she should have paid more.
Her resignation has left a hole around the cabinet table, which Sir Keir is now filling.
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This is who is moving and where to:
David Lammy – foreign secretary to justice secretary and deputy PM
After flexing his diplomatic muscles with Donald Trump and his deputy JD Vance over the past year, Mr Lammy will now move to the justice brief.
The move is likely to be a blow as the PM had promised, most recently in November, he would be foreign secretary for the whole parliament until 2029.
Although he is no longer holding one of the four great offices of state, he has also been made deputy prime minister, presumably to soften the blow.
Mr Lammy is close to Sir Keir, both as a friend and in his next door constituency, and was seen grinning as he went into Number 10 after being appointed.
David Lammy is now justice secretary and deputy PM. Pic: Reuters
Yvette Cooper – home secretary to foreign secretary
The Labour stalwart had made tackling illegal migration a priority, so the move could be seen as a disappointment for her.
However, she remains in one of the four great offices of state – PM, chancellor, foreign and home.
Yvette Cooper is now foreign secretary
Shabana Mahmood – justice secretary to home secretary
A big promotion, the straight-talking Labour MP will be tasked with tackling the small boats crisis and asylum seeker hotel protests.
She is no stranger to making difficult decisions, deciding to free criminals early to reduce prison overcrowding as justice secretary.
Her move makes it the first time all three great offices of state, after the prime minister, are held by women.
Shabana Mahmood is now home secretary. Pic: PA
Pat McFadden – chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and intergovernmental minister to work and pensions secretary and head of “super ministry”
Often seen as Sir Keir’s “number two”, Mr McFadden will take over a newly formed “super ministry”.
It will include the department for work and pensions and the skills remit of the department for education – taking a large part of Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson’s brief and taking over from Liz Kendall as work and pensions secretary.
While it is not a promotion at first glance, it is a much wider role than he has had as chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster – the highest-ranking Cabinet Office minister after the PM.
Pat McFadden is work and pensions secretary and head of the ‘super ministry’. Pic: PA
Darren Jones – chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
It is the second new job in the space of one week for the new chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. The close ally of the prime minister was promoted from chief secretary to the Treasury on Monday to chief secretary to the prime minister. And now he gets another new job.
Darren Jones is the new chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
Steve Reed – environment secretary to housing secretary
A promotion for the man who has consistently defended the government lifting inheritance tax relief on farmers.
He takes over one of the two major vacancies left by Ms Rayner and will have the massive task of building 1.5 million new homes during this parliament, as promised by the government.
Steve Reed is now housing secretary
Jonathan Reynolds – business and trade secretary to chief whip
A slightly odd move for the MP seen as a steady pair of hands in his business secretary role.
He takes over from Sir Alan Campbell and will now have to hustle Labour MPs to vote with the government – something that has sometimes proved difficult with the current cohort.
Mr Reynolds will also attend cabinet, as is necessary so he can liaise between the party and No 10.
Jonathan Reynolds is the new chief whip
Peter Kyle – science secretary to business and trade secretary
A promotion for Mr Kyle, who is taking over from Jonathan Reynolds.
He is seen as a rising star and impressed Labour MPs when he refused to stand down after suggesting Nigel Farage was on the side of people like Jimmy Savile by opposing the government’s online safety law.
Mr Kyle will be in charge of getting trade deals with other countries over the line.
Peter Kyle is now business and trade secretary
Emma Reynolds – economic secretary to the Treasury to environment secretary
Probably the biggest promotion of the reshuffle, Ms Reynolds is taking on Mr Reed’s role after serving as a junior minister in the Treasury.
She will have to take on farmers and deal with the water companies – a big undertaking.
Emma Reynolds is now environment secretary
Liz Kendall – work and pensions secretary to science, innovation and technology secretary
Pat McFadden has taken her role as work and pensions secretary, while Ms Kendall takes over Peter Kyle’s brief.
He has made AI a major facet of his role so we will wait to see which direction Ms Kendall takes the job in.
Liz Kendall is the new science secretary. Pic: PA
Douglas Alexander – trade policy minister to Scotland secretary
A promotion for the Blair/Brown minister who returned to politics last year after being ousted in 2015 by then 20-year-old SNP MP Mhairi Black.
He takes over from Ian Murray, who has been removed from the cabinet.
Douglas Alexander is the new Scotland secretary
Sir Alan Campbell – Chief whip to Lord President of the Council and leader of the House of Commons
An MP since 1997 and part of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown’s frontbench, Sir Alan is taking over Lucy Powell’s role.
He will be in charge of organising government business in the Commons – a sizeable job.
Who is out?
Lucy Powell has been sacked as leader of the House of Commons.
Ian Murray has been sacked as Scotland secretary.
Bridget Phillipson remains as education secretary but her brief has narrowed as Mr McFadden has taken over the skills part of her job.
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