Prime Minister Keir Starmer has sharply criticized the Conservative Party, accusing them of leaving the National Health Service (NHS) in an "unforgivable" condition. Starmer stated that the Tories began siphoning funds from the NHS when they came to power in 2010 and implemented a series of "hopelessly misconceived" reforms that have left the health service in a dire state.

 

Starmer’s comments come ahead of a much-anticipated report by former health minister and surgeon Ara Darzi, set to be released this Thursday. The report, expected to be candid and thorough, is likely to reveal the severe challenges currently facing the NHS, particularly in the realm of children's care. Starmer remarked, "Everybody watching this who has used the NHS, or whose relatives have, know that it’s broken, they know that it’s broken, that is unforgivable, the state of our NHS."

 

He further elaborated that the financial cuts imposed on the NHS during the early years of the coalition government from 2010, along with the ill-conceived Lansley reforms, significantly contributed to the current state of the health service. "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," Starmer said.

 

The Lansley reforms brought about a sweeping transformation of the NHS's management and bureaucratic framework, emphasizing competition and market-based approaches to care provision. However, these changes coincided with increasing pressure on hospitals and GPs due to a growing and aging population, along with a significant slowdown in government funding. Health experts have criticized the reforms, describing them as "damaging and distracting" and pointing to their role in exacerbating the crises within the NHS.

 

Lord Darzi’s forthcoming report is expected to expose the full extent of the crisis, particularly in children's healthcare. It is anticipated to highlight the troubling statistics, including 100,000 infants left waiting for more than six hours in A&E departments last year and a 60 percent increase in waiting times for infants since 2010. Additionally, it will reveal that around 800,000 children and young people are currently on NHS waiting lists, with 175,000 waiting between six and 12 months and 35,000 waiting more than a year. The report is also likely to draw attention to falling vaccination rates among children, a rise in ADHD prescriptions, and a surge in hospital admissions for children and young people with eating disorders.

 

In his interview, Starmer emphasized that the report will underscore the impact of these policies on children's health, particularly those from the most deprived backgrounds. He said, "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. And as I say, I think it’s only a Labour government that can do the reform that our NHS needs, and we’ll start on that journey."

 

Tory shadow health secretary Victoria Atkins responded to Starmer's comments by accusing Labour of politicizing children's health rather than offering solutions for NHS reform. She remarked, "Labour’s instinct is to politicize children’s health, rather than provide solutions and reform of our NHS... Labour should stop politicizing our children’s health and the NHS if they are serious about reform." Atkins defended the Conservative government's record, highlighting their efforts to bring more doctors, nurses, and investment into the NHS, including mental health services, and criticized Labour for failing to offer substantial plans for NHS reform since the election.

 

Credit: The Independent 2024-09-09

 

 

 

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1 hour ago, Social Media said:

And as I say, I think it’s only a Labour government that can do the reform that our NHS needs, and we’ll start on that journey."

I suffered in the NHS during the last Labour government and it was a shambles then, IMO

 

not helped by Gordon wasting 6 billion quid on managers and fancy buildings.

 

Something people may overlook is that health care is a worker intensive situation- there is no alternative to people- technology may assist, but it can not replace people. The largest number of staff that actually make the NHS work are nurses and British people just don't want to be nurses in sufficient numbers- the pay is pathetic, nursing is now a degree occupation, which is a massive disincentive to become one, bullying in nursing is a huge problem, and it's just not a desirable occupation now as it was in the 50s or 60s.

That means they have to import nurses and those imports may not be desirable. It's not like there are thousands of Aussie nurses wanting to work in the NHS- Australia is having it's own problems finding enough nurses, likewise NZ.

If they want a decent NHS they have to fix the nursing problem- is the government capable of doing so? The jury is out on that.

1 hour ago, Social Media said:

Atkins defended the Conservative government's record, highlighting their efforts to bring more doctors, nurses, and investment into the NHS, including mental health services,

Obviously, their "efforts" were insufficient, but there is enough blame to share with the previous Labour government.

1 hour ago, Social Media said:

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.

It'll be interesting to see how they magic up 40,000 people prepared to work in the NHS. Perhaps Harry Potter is being asked to help.

I doubt there are 40,000 QUALIFIED people lying about waiting for the call. Takes 3 years to train a registered nurse.

Weird how Labour have been in charge of the NHS in Wales for the last 25 years and it performs worse than the NHS in England.

4 minutes ago, James105 said:

Weird how Labour have been in charge of the NHS in Wales for the last 25 years and it performs worse than the NHS in England.

Until you step away from the simplistic and make a more rational examination:

 

https://www.nhsconfed.org/articles/can-we-make-direct-comparisons-between-nhs-england-and-wales#:~:text=The bottom line&text=It is true that some,waiters%2C are higher in Wales.

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Until you step away from the simplistic and make a more rational examination:

 

https://www.nhsconfed.org/articles/can-we-make-direct-comparisons-between-nhs-england-and-wales#:~:text=The bottom line&text=It is true that some,waiters%2C are higher in Wales.

 

Well done.  You have pasted a link that confirms the performance of the Labour run (for the last 25 years) NHS in Wales does indeed perform worse than it's English counterpart.   Is that what you were aiming for here?  

1 hour ago, James105 said:

 

Well done.  You have pasted a link that confirms the performance of the Labour run (for the last 25 years) NHS in Wales does indeed perform worse than it's English counterpart.   Is that what you were aiming for here?  

No, I’ve posted a link that demonstrates you are comparing apples and oranges.

17 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

No, I’ve posted a link that demonstrates you are comparing apples and oranges.

 

Apples vs Apples:

 

Labour blaming everything on the Tories.

 

Never saw that coming... 

 

I've even seen people on here blaming the Tories for Blair's illegal war in Iraq based on his WMD lies. 😃

 

Pathetic. Labour are wreaking far more damage than even I could have imagined. Labour voters are getting everything they deserve, and more. 

31 minutes ago, James105 said:

 

Apples vs Apples:

 

Did you miss this bit?

 

”Ultimately, data is collected, counted, coded and reported differently between the two nations. Performance measures in each country were also brought in at different times with services likely to be at different stages of rollout. This means performance is not directly comparable and to give as accurate a picture as possible, every effort should be made to examine the context when making comparisons.”

 

45 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Did you miss this bit?

 

”Ultimately, data is collected, counted, coded and reported differently between the two nations. Performance measures in each country were also brought in at different times with services likely to be at different stages of rollout. This means performance is not directly comparable and to give as accurate a picture as possible, every effort should be made to examine the context when making comparisons.”

 

 

Of course it is directly comparable, it's just that the undeniable truth is that Labour are better suited to opposition where they can do what they do best (whinge and complain) as they have no clue how to actually deliver on anything.   Don't worry, the graphs will equalise as Labour gets it's grubby hands on the NHS and somehow managing to increase its funding and deliver worse outcomes, especially as Starmer is doing his best to ensure the NHS has it's busiest winter since Covid with all the potential hits on the elderly coming up.   

 

4 hours ago, JonnyF said:

Labour blaming everything on the Tories.

 

Never saw that coming... 

 

I've even seen people on here blaming the Tories for Blair's illegal war in Iraq based on his WMD lies. 😃

 

Pathetic. Labour are wreaking far more damage than even I could have imagined. Labour voters are getting everything they deserve, and more. 

 

Right. Starmer is playing the blame game up front - often before he figures out who is responsible for what, if at all.

3 hours ago, James105 said:

 

Of course it is directly comparable, it's just that the undeniable truth is that Labour are better suited to opposition where they can do what they do best (whinge and complain) as they have no clue how to actually deliver on anything.   Don't worry, the graphs will equalise as Labour gets it's grubby hands on the NHS and somehow managing to increase its funding and deliver worse outcomes, especially as Starmer is doing his best to ensure the NHS has it's busiest winter since Covid with all the potential hits on the elderly coming up.   

 

 

Ripped memes don’t really prop up crystal ball doom and gloom prophecies, but they do at least pad out your nonsense.

 

 

3 minutes ago, nauseus said:

 

Right. Starmer is playing the blame game up front - often before he figures out who is responsible for what, if at all.

You mean the party in Government for the past 14 years aren’t responsible for the stuff they were supposed to be Governing?

8 hours ago, James105 said:

Weird how Labour have been in charge of the NHS in Wales for the last 25 years and it performs worse than the NHS in England.

The left blame the conservatives for everything.

10 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

You mean the party in Government for the past 14 years aren’t responsible for the stuff they were supposed to be Governing?

 

The Tories are responsible for funding the NHS with taxes, which is something that actually did to record breaking levels.   They were not actually running it.   The NHS has a CEO and countless directors, administrators etc all paid way more than the PM of the UK.  If the NHS is as bad as Starmer is suggesting why is he not firing the people actually using that money to run the NHS for letting it get that way?  Is it because he is too weak or too incompetent?  

23 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

You mean the party in Government for the past 14 years aren’t responsible for the stuff they were supposed to be Governing?

 

Not what I said at all.

 

12 minutes ago, James105 said:

 

The Tories are responsible for funding the NHS with taxes, which is something that actually did to record breaking levels.   They were not actually running it.   The NHS has a CEO and countless directors, administrators etc all paid way more than the PM of the UK.  If the NHS is as bad as Starmer is suggesting why is he not firing the people actually using that money to run the NHS for letting it get that way?  Is it because he is too weak or too incompetent?  

I have a fondness for links to back claims.

 

https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/nhs-crisis-rishi-sunak-conservative-labour-austerity-privatisation/

Edited September 9, 20241 yr by Chomper Higgot

5 minutes ago, nauseus said:

 

Not what I said at all.

I didn’t say it was. 

3 hours ago, James105 said:

 

Of course it is directly comparable, it's just that the undeniable truth is that Labour are better suited to opposition where they can do what they do best (whinge and complain) as they have no clue how to actually deliver on anything.   Don't worry, the graphs will equalise as Labour gets it's grubby hands on the NHS and somehow managing to increase its funding and deliver worse outcomes, especially as Starmer is doing his best to ensure the NHS has it's busiest winter since Covid with all the potential hits on the elderly coming up.   

 

You sure about that?

NHS Wales: badly run by Labour or underfunded by Westminster?

A number of commentators have expressed concern at the way the Welsh administration has been running the NHS in recent years.

But the amount of money Wales gets to spend on healthcare is set in Westminster, and there’s evidence to suggest that the country loses out financially compared to other parts of the UK...

The Lords report found that Wales in particular loses out in the absence of a needs-based funding system...

This makes sense when we consider that Wales has proportionately more people over the age of 65, when compared with the rest of the UK. 

https://www.channel4.com/news/factcheck/nhs-wales-badly-run-by-labour-or-underfunded-by-westminster