Wes Streeting has made clear that if Labour wins power, there are no easy answers for the NHS. He believes Labour can make radical improvements to patient care and to the working lives of medics and other NHS staff. However, he has been vociferous in saying there won’t be big cash injections for the health service. That’s not what medics want to hear, of course.
Streeting’s own blueprint for the NHS – and in some areas, the lack of detail – comes under scrutiny in i’s new podcast, Labour’s Plan For Power. Presented by i’s Paul Waugh, episode 2, “The NHS and your health”, is out now.
We lead this week’s iweekend with Streeting’s announcement that he will “hold the door wide open” for
greater private sector involvement. He is interested in entrepreneurs or tech firms who can help to drive NHS reform through “cutting edge treatments and technology”.
Streeting is right that NHS care will not improve solely by increasing the budget. Large parts of the health service have antiquated IT systems, while rapid developments in medical tech do promise to revolutionise global healthcare.
However, his announcement will make some Labour supporters anxious, given their concerns about privatisation.
Whichever party wins, the next health secretary will need to inject hope and whatever cash they can lay their hands on to lead transformation of the NHS – and put it on a stronger footing for the next 75 years.
You can listen to Labour’s Plan For Power on Apple, Spotify, at inews.co.uk/labour-plan or wherever you get your podcasts.
