'The NHS has a sickness' Wes Streeting claims as Starmer issues 'reform or die' warning

The rapid review, completed in just nine weeks, paints a stark picture of an NHS struggling with long waiting times, delays in A&E and cancer care, and deteriorating public health outcomes.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting, speaking to GB News, expressed shock at some of Lord Darzi's findings.

He said: "There are some things in there that have shocked even me that shocked Lord Darzi, who's been in the NHS for decades and really point to why we need not just investment but reform."

"Because if you look at what's happened in our hospitals, for example, staffing numbers have grown significantly since 2019, but productivity has fallen. So we are paying more and getting less."

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"The importance of this report, from my perspective, and why I commissioned it, is if you don't get the diagnosis right, you're less likely to get the right prescription.

"And I have got now, I think both the mandate, the evidence from the doctor, the diagnosis from the doctor about the sickness of our NHS and the sickness of our society, and from the general election, a mandate and an instruction to deliver. That is exactly what we are going to do."

Streeting emphasised the government's commitment to action, citing recent initiatives such as resolving the junior doctors' dispute and investing £100 million to employ 1,000 more GPs by year-end.

He assured viewers: "We are not going to duck the difficult choices, we are not going to ignore hard truths, and we are not going to sweep the problems under the carpet."

The report highlights several critical issues facing the NHS. Ballooning waiting times, now at 7.6 million patients, are causing significant concern. Delays in A&E and cancer care are leading to avoidable deaths, with Sir Keir stating, "People's loved ones who could have been saved."

The health service's productivity has fallen despite increased staffing, resulting in higher costs for diminished outcomes.

The report also warns of rising levels of illness threatening economic prosperity, with 2.8 million people unable to work due to poor health.

In response to these challenges, Sir Keir Starmer will propose a three-point plan for NHS reform. The Prime Minister's vision includes transitioning to a digital NHS, moving more care from hospitals to communities, and focusing efforts on prevention rather than sickness.

Starmer is expected to describe this as potentially "the biggest reimagining of our NHS since its birth".

He emphasises the need for a collaborative approach, stating, "This plan is going to have the fingerprints of NHS staff and patients all over it."

The Prime Minister will argue that reform is essential, as raising taxes on working people to meet rising healthcare demands is not a viable option.

The Conservative shadow health secretary Victoria Atkins criticised Labour's approach, stating they "have missed an opportunity to put together meaningful plans for reform". She defended the Conservatives' record, citing long-term plans for productivity, technology, and staff retention.