What's happened
The new Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, has ordered an independent investigation into the NHS performance in England as the waiting list for routine hospital treatment rises for a second consecutive month, reaching 7.6 million treatments.
Why it matters
The deepening crisis in NHS waiting times is a significant concern for the new government, with the backlog hitting 7.6 million and rising for the second month in a row. The investigation led by Lord Ara Darzi aims to diagnose the problems and inform a 10-year plan for the NHS.
What the papers say
According to Sky News, Health Secretary Wes Streeting has described the NHS as 'broken' and is determined to 'tell the truth to our country' about the failings. BBC News highlights the scale of the challenge facing Streeting as the hospital backlog continues to rise, with the British Medical Association calling it a 'shameful' legacy for the Tories to leave.
How we got here
The NHS waiting times crisis has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, with backlogs and delays in treatments mounting. The new government under Wes Streeting is facing pressure to address these issues and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the healthcare system.
Common question
-
Why has the new Health Secretary ordered an investigation into NHS performance in England?
The new Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, has taken a significant step by ordering an independent investigation into the performance of the NHS in England. This decision comes amidst a concerning rise in the waiting list for routine hospital treatment, which has reached 7.6 million treatments. Let's delve into the reasons behind this investigation and its potential impact on healthcare services in England.
-
What has led to the deepening crisis in NHS waiting times?
The deepening crisis in NHS waiting times has become a pressing issue, with the waiting list for routine hospital treatment in England reaching 7.6 million treatments. Let's delve into the factors contributing to this crisis and explore the implications for healthcare services.
More on these topics
-
Ara Warkes Darzi, Baron Darzi of Denham, OM, KBE, PC, FRS, FMedSci, FREng is an Armenian-British surgeon, academic, and politician.
-
The National Health Service is the publicly funded healthcare system in England, and one of the four National Health Service systems in the United Kingdom.
-
Wesley Paul William Streeting is a British politician serving as the Member of Parliament for Ilford North since 2015, and since 2020 as Shadow Minister for Schools.