Professor Lord Winston ‘not optimistic’ about the NHS as leaders debate future

Published

2 years ago

July 6, 2023

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Labour peer and professor Lord Winston has admitted he is “not optimistic” about the future of the NHS as the health service celebrates its 75th anniversary.

The distinguished professor said he did not believe enough money was being spent organising how the NHS is run and that “national poverty” was undermining the delivery of the health service.

“We’ve got the largest employer, perhaps in the world…and the amount of money spent on the administration is absolutely insignificant,” he told Sky News presenter Mark Austin.

“And actually, the need to administer that far more effectively is really clear – it doesn’t matter whether that is in the health service or general practice or certainly in social care, but I think that’s one thing we need to keep in mind.”

Lord Winston, who is one of Britain’s leading medical experts on the study of fertility, said an increase in funding for primary care in recent years had “not actually helped the health service that much” because the key issue was “national poverty”, which he described as a “massive problem in Britain”.

Braverman issues punchy statement on Wimbledon protests – politics latest

“We are a poor country because we’ve not managed our finances,” he said, adding that poverty had also had a knock-on effect on education and the environment.

The Emeritus Professor of Fertility Studies at Imperial College London appeared alongside Dame Clare Gerada, president of the Royal College of General Practitioners, who also said the NHS was picking up wider problems in society.

“Over the last 10-15 years we have seen social determinants of health get worse – green spaces, homelessness, poor housing, poor nutrition – and the NHS is picking up those issues,” she said.

“We’ve also seen our economy go down.

“It’s very complex. If you are saying to me should the NHS change, then yes of course it should change.

“We need to be delivering much more care – in primary care, in general practice and in the community.”

Dame Clare said that unless there were three major shifts – in prevention, personalised care and shifting resources in primary care, “then I do fear for the future of the NHS”.

Lord Winston and Dame Clare made the remarks in a special programme by Sky News to mark the 75th anniversary, asking the central question: can we mend the NHS?

As well as Lord Winston, other NHS experts have cast doubt over the future of the health service.

In a speech to mark the anniversary of its creation, Amanda Pritchard, the head of the NHS in England, warned the service faced a future of “enormous challenges” as a “cornerstone of national life” in Britain.

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”.

Meanwhile, other experts warned that the NHS – created in July 1948 – may not reach its 100th birthday without more resources and fundamental reforms.

The warning, by three leading thinktanks – 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”.

Last week, Rishi Sunak unveiled the NHS workforce plan, which would see £2.4bn funnelled into solving the severe staffing crisis in NHS England.

Ministers are also aiming to more than halve the number of NHS staff being recruited from abroad in the next 15 years, in order to train more NHS staff domestically to “reduce reliance on international recruitment and agency staff”.

Staffing vacancies currently stand at 112,000, with fears shortfalls could grow to 360,000 by 2037.

The additional funding will help train “record numbers of doctors, nurses, dentists, and other healthcare staff” in England, with plans to employ 300,000 extra staff in the coming years. The funding works out at approximately £21,000 per vacancy.

Asked about the NHS workforce plan announced by the prime minister last week, Lord Winston warned it will take at least a decade to have an impact, especially because the NHS was “losing people all the time” due to disenchantment and early retirement.

“That’s an issue which the government has failed completely to tackle,” he said.

World

Ukraine: How powerful are the Storm Shadow missiles donated by Britain?

Published

12 hours ago

October 22, 2025

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Ukraine: How powerful are the Storm Shadow missiles donated by Britain?

Storm Shadow cruise missiles made in the UK and donated to Ukraine have once again been used to strike targets inside Russia.

The long-range weapons – which cost roughly £2m each – have been used to devastating effect in the Black Sea, sinking or damaging several Russian ships, and now against a chemical plant.

Last year, Ukraine’s allies lifted restrictions on Storm Shadows and other long-range missiles, meaning Kyiv’s military can use them against targets across the border.

Follow latest: Storm Shadow missiles used in ‘massive’ attack on Russia

What are Storm Shadow missiles?

Storm Shadows are cruise missiles developed by the UK and France in the 1990s.

Launched from aircraft, they have a range more than 155 miles, manufacturer MBDA says, and can travel at speeds exceeding 600mph.

The missiles can be used with high precision for deep strikes while evading detection, the manufacturer says.

They have been used by the RAF and French air force and in the Gulf, Iraq and Libya, and more recently have been used by Ukrainian forces.

What sets them apart from some other projectiles is they use terrain mapping to navigate to their target, rather than relying just on GPS, military analyst Sean Bell says.

How have they been used in Ukraine?

Back in May 2023, the UK government announced it would provide Ukraine with Storm Shadow missiles – the first country to do so.

Since then they have been used by Kyiv’s defenders to strike Russian targets inside Ukraine and also inside Russia.

While operational details of their use do not always emerge, it has been reported Storm Shadows have been used against targets including military headquarters and ships.

Storm Shadows can likely be operated entirely from within Ukraine, though probably with the assistance of intelligence gathered by Western surveillance planes over international waters.

World

Police helicopter targeted with lasers by ‘mob intent on violence’ in Dublin

Published

21 hours ago

October 22, 2025

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Police helicopter targeted with lasers by 'mob intent on violence' in Dublin

A police officer has been injured after a night of violent protests outside an asylum hotel in Dublin – with six arrests made.

Bricks were thrown and fireworks were discharged outside the Citywest Hotel – with glass bottles used as missiles and a police van set on fire.

A Garda helicopter was also targeted with lasers, and the police service says some of those on the streets were seen carrying garden forks.

Commissioner Justin Kelly added: “This was obviously not a peaceful protest. The actions this evening can only be described as thuggery. This was a mob intent on violence.

“We will now begin the process of identifying those who committed crimes and we will bring those involved in this violence to justice.”

It is the second night of demonstrations after an alleged sexual assault in its vicinity in the early hours of Monday morning.

Some of the crowd threw stones and other missiles at the public order officers as they moved the protesters back – and water cannon was deployed at the scene.

A line of officers was preventing the protesters from approaching the hotel.

This protest felt different

There had been a small protest on Monday outside the former Citywest Hotel, now an asylum centre, but last night’s felt very different.

The 26-year-old man who allegedly attacked the young girl had appeared in court yesterday morning, charged with sexual assault. He can’t be named but an Arabic translator was requested. Anger grew online, and another protest was called.

It’s hard to get a clear estimate of numbers, partly due to the street geography around the former hotel, but it’s thought up to 2,000 attended. Most were peaceful, some were not. After a Garda van was torched, a major policing operation began.

The smell of fireworks hung in the air as youths hurled missiles at the Gardai. A Garda water cannon truck was deployed for the first time in the Republic of Ireland, parked visibly behind the riot officers.

I spoke to local residents who had reasonable concerns about the influx of asylum seekers to the community in recent years. Most did not approve of violent protest, but they articulated the anger and pain felt by many here after the attack on the young girl.

Although it has not been confirmed officially that the accused is an asylum seeker, most of the local residents had the same message: the enemy is not necessarily those who come to Ireland, rather it’s the perceived open-doors policy of the Irish government.

‘Those involved will be brought to justice’

Ireland’s premier, Taoiseach Micheál Martin, paid tribute to the officers who were on the frontline of the protests.

“There can be no justification for the vile abuse against them, or the attempted assaults and attacks on members of the force that will shock all right-thinking people,” he said.

Justice minister Jim O’Callaghan said those involved in the violence will be brought to justice.

“The scenes of public disorder we have witnessed at Citywest must be condemned,” he said.

“People threw missiles at Gardai, threw fireworks at them and set a Garda vehicle on fire.

“This is unacceptable and will result in a forceful response from the Gardai.

“Those involved will be brought to justice.”

‘No excuse’ for violence

The minister said a man had been arrested and had appeared in court in relation to the alleged assault in the vicinity of the hotel.

He added: “While I am not in a position to comment any further on this criminal investigation, I have been advised that there is no ongoing threat to public safety in the area.”

He said attacks on officers would “not be tolerated”, adding: “Peaceful protest is a cornerstone of our democracy. Violence is not.

“There is no excuse for the scenes we have witnessed.”

The demonstration on Monday night passed without a significant incident.

It comes two years after anti-immigrant demonstrators triggered a major riot in the centre of Dublin after three young children were stabbed.

World

Violent protests at Dublin hotel housing asylum seekers after alleged sexual assault

Published

1 day ago

October 21, 2025

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Violent protests at Dublin hotel housing asylum seekers after alleged sexual assault

A police van has been set on fire and missiles have been thrown at officers as protesters gathered outside a hotel used to house asylum seekers in Dublin.

It is the second night of demonstrations outside the Citywest Hotel after an alleged sexual assault in its vicinity in the early hours of Monday morning.

A large crowd has gathered in the area and members of the Garda’s public order unit have been deployed.

Footage from the scene showed a Garda vehicle on fire as well as several protesters displaying Irish flags.

Some of the crowd threw stones and other missiles at the public order officers as they moved the protesters back.

A Garda helicopter hovered overhead and a water cannon was deployed on the scene.

Ireland’s justice minister, Jim O’Callaghan, said those involved will be brought to justice.

“The scenes of public disorder we have witnessed at Citywest tonight must be condemned,” he said.

“People threw missiles at Gardai, threw fireworks at them and set a Garda vehicle on fire.

“This is unacceptable and will result in a forceful response from the Gardai.

“Those involved will be brought to justice.”

The minister said a man had been arrested and had appeared in court in relation to the alleged assault in the vicinity of the hotel.

He added: “While I am not in a position to comment any further on this criminal investigation, I have been advised that there is no ongoing threat to public safety in the area.

He said attacks on gardai will “not be tolerated”, adding: “Peaceful protest is a cornerstone of our democracy. Violence is not.

“There is no excuse for the scenes we have witnessed tonight.”

It was the second night of protest outside the hotel, which is being used as state accommodation for people seeking international protection. The demonstration on Monday night passed without a significant incident.

It comes two years after anti-immigrant demonstrators triggered a major riot in the centre of Dublin after three young children were stabbed.

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