According to a recent poll, most people think that Keir Starmer needs to make fixing the NHS a priority.
A recent poll for the Mirror reveals that most British families believe fixing the country’s NHS should be Keir Starmer’s top priority. A significant 64% of respondents included healthcare reform in their top three concerns, surpassing worries about financial issues, immigration, and crime reduction. Controlling the cost of living is a priority for 54%, while reducing immigration and growing the economy concern 34% and 33% of respondents, respectively. Only 20% prioritized cutting crime, and even fewer prioritized environmental issues, EU rejoining, improving education standards, or defence spending.
NHS staff unions and healthcare experts assert it’s unsurprising that the public demands action to repair the NHS after what they call “shameful neglect” by the Conservative government. They caution ministers to place healthcare at the forefront of their policies leading up to 2025.
The NHS faces a challenging winter, battling a surge of flu cases and long patient wait times in emergency departments, which could result in significant casualties. With over 7.5 million people waiting for hospital care and procedures, healthcare professionals are leaving due to poor pay and excessive workloads. Recent pay rise proposals have been met with anger, as they do little to address staff grievances.
Plans to build new hospitals have stalled, forcing treatment in deteriorating facilities. Rachel Harrison of GMB emphasizes public backing for addressing the NHS crisis, noting the crucial role of healthcare workers.
Professor Nicola Ranger of the Royal College of Nursing highlighted the pressures faced by health services, urging the government to support the nursing workforce. Rory Deighton of the NHS Confederation echoed the need for strategic investment, particularly in social care, to alleviate hospital pressures.
Helen Morgan from the Liberal Democrats insists that rectifying social care issues is essential to fixing the NHS. Health Secretary Wes Streeting describes the NHS as “broken but not beaten” and stresses the importance of reducing waiting lists through significant reforms and investment.
The government’s upcoming 10-year health plan, scheduled for Spring 2025, will focus on shifting care from hospitals to communities, embracing digital solutions, and prioritizing preventative measures. Recent budget announcements include substantial funding increases for NHS day-to-day operations and infrastructure, aiming to drastically improve patient wait times and incorporate technological advancements to enhance patient care.
Public input is being sought through the Change NHS online platform, as over 10,000 suggestions for future improvements have already been submitted.
Lincolnshire people know how important it is to fix the NHS. With long waiting lists at Lincolnshire Hospital including Scunthorpe, Grimsby, and Lincoln, people in Lincolnshire are getting fed up with past and present Governments ignoring the NHS.
Our own research has found that Lincolnshire people want the Government to stop wasting money which includes sending money abroad, and use that money to build new hospitals and employ more NHS staff to cut waiting times.
