Wes Streeting’s ‘tough love’ approach to saving the NHS

The NHS faces an institutional and structural problem in the way it works, Wes Streeting believes. ‘Unless it changes, it’s not going to survive.’ The shadow health secretary’s ‘tough love’ philosophy suggests NHS bosses are very much mistaken if they expect much more generous health spending under a Labour government. Instead, Streeting has slammed the health service for using winter crises as an ‘excuse’ for funds. 

Streeting’s interview in today’s Sunday Times comes as the health service is facing record high waiting lists of over 7.5 million and record waiting times (with 3.2 million waiting over 18 weeks for care). More junior doctor strikes have been announced as medics remain unhappy with their pay and working conditions – which inevitably means many more appointments and procedures will have to be rescheduled. The hospital system is congested: patients arriving in A&E are having to wait too long before they’re seen, while those fit for discharge from wards are left languishing as the country’s social care services have less and less capacity to cope with demand.