Wes Streeting announces independent probe into performance of NHS
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Wes Streeting has requested a thorough investigation of the condition of the NHS in order to uncover the harsh realities of what needs to be addressed.
The recent appointed health minister claimed that the system has been severely damaged by the Conservative party and initiated a separate inquiry.
He has chosen Lord Ara Darzi, who was a health minister in the previous Labour government, to conduct the review and instructed officials to provide any necessary information.
In a blog post for The Sun, Mr Streeting emphasized the importance of honesty when it comes to assessing the state of the NHS. He explained that the report will offer a transparent and thorough examination of the healthcare system, highlighting both its strengths and weaknesses.
Changing the NHS for the better will not happen overnight - we were upfront about that before the election.
Band-aids won't solve the problem. We need to make big changes to fix it.
Being truthful is the most important thing, and this report will give patients, staff, and me a completely honest evaluation of the condition of the NHS, including all its flaws.
Amanda Pritchard, the CEO of the NHS, praised the hard work of frontline workers, noting that they are performing admirably under immense pressure. She acknowledged that despite their efforts to provide care to over a million people daily, there are significant challenges and patients may not always receive the prompt, top-notch care they deserve.
"We are going to collaborate with the government, knowledgeable professionals, and NHS employees to thoroughly examine the extent of the issues and come up with strategies to tackle them - this thorough evaluation will be a crucial step in helping us construct a resilient NHS for the coming years."
After Mr. Streeting stated that the NHS was “broken” when he first started as the health secretary of Britain.
He stated that the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) is now more than just a government department providing services to the public. It is also seen as a department that contributes to the country's economic growth. He believes that health and the economy are closely connected, and enhancing the health of the population can help boost the economy of the nation.
"That represents a significant change in perspective," he remarked. "It involves reconsidering the department's role."
It also signifies putting an end to the practice of constantly asking for money from the Treasury for various needs within the DHSC.
"We are committed to supporting your goals of increasing growth and enhancing the well-being of all citizens in this country. We will work closely with you to drive economic progress together."
During the probe's launch, Mr Streeting stated that the current government does not seek to find reasons to avoid taking responsibility. He emphasized that he will not point fingers at the hardworking NHS staff who go above and beyond for their patients.
"This administration will tell the truth about the difficulties ahead of us, and will be committed to finding solutions to overcome them."
His remarks come as a recent report showed that efforts to address the NHS waiting lists have come to a standstill, and long waiting times continue to be a persistent issue within the NHS.
The Nuffield Trust experts highlight that Labour has taken over a backlog of 7.5 million people waiting for scheduled hospital appointments in England - a 66% rise since the beginning of the pandemic.
Even though improvements have been seen in certain areas like cataract surgery, delays for certain important surgeries are taking longer to return to the levels before Covid, according to experts.
The NHS in England will release the most recent waiting time information, marking the first time since the new Government came into power.
Lord Darzi became a minister in the DHSC in 2007 as part of Gordon Brown's efforts to create a "Government of all the talents" (GOAT). His main goal was to shift the focus of the NHS from simply providing more treatment to actually improving the quality of care. In his report, High Quality Care for All, which was released in July 2008, Lord Darzi outlined a plan to link the funding of NHS trusts to their performance in terms of providing safe and effective care, as well as patient satisfaction.
He stepped down from his position as health minister in July 2009, after serving for two years. Lord Darzi later resigned from the Labour whip in the House of Lords in opposition to Jeremy Corbyn's management of antisemitism issues.
