The very future of our NHS is at stake on Thursday - Jonathan Ashworth
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Five more years of the Tories means millions more living in pain
and discomfort as they wait for operations With just 24 hours to
polling day, Labour have revealed the impact that 5 more years of a
Conservative Government will have on our National Health Service.
New analysis shows that:
· Waiting lists are
expected to reach 5.8 million by the end of 2024, up from 4.4
million in 2019 and 2.5 million in 2010, according to...Request free trial
Five more years of the Tories means millions more living in pain and discomfort as they wait for operations With just 24 hours to polling day, Labour have revealed the impact that 5 more years of a Conservative Government will have on our National Health Service. New analysis shows that: · Waiting lists are expected to reach 5.8 million by the end of 2024, up from 4.4 million in 2019 and 2.5 million in 2010, according to projections based on official data. · The number of people waiting more than two months for cancer treatment is projected to reach 47,554 in 2024, up from 29,732 on 2018, and up almost 30,000 on 2010 when just 13,357 waited more than two months for treatment · The number of people waiting more than 4 hours in A&E is projected to reach 448,525 a month in 2024, up on 320,034 in October 2019 and up 41,231 in November 2010 The Tories have presided over almost a decade of underinvestment and mismanagement of our health service. The Health Foundation – an independent healthcare organisation - have now said that the Tories’ offer on funding is “below the amount needed to maintain current standards of care”, confirming that five more years of a Tory Government threatens to leave even more people waiting longer for vital services – beyond current record levels. Jonathan Ashworth, Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary, said: “If the Tory demolition of our NHS continues, it will be millions of patients waiting longer and longer in pain, and thousands of cancer sufferers with their lives at risk who will pay the price. “If the Tories win on Thursday it will mean five more years of ballooning waiting lists, more patients languishing on trolleys in hospital corridors, and people with cancer enduring even longer waits for vital treatment. “The very future of our NHS is at stake on Thursday. Labour will give the NHS the rescue plan it needs and bring waiting lists down to secure quality care for all.” Ends Notes to editors Five more years of the Tories · Projections have been made using data from 2015 onwards are linear projections. https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/cancer-waiting-times/ https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ae-waiting-times-and-activity/ https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/rtt-waiting-times/ · The Health Foundation has said that the Conservative Party’s funding pledge “is below the amount needed to maintain current standards of care”. “Labour has promised a £25bn uplift to the health care budget by 2023/24, slightly above the funding needed to deliver improved services for patients. Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats £22bn uplift would see current standards maintained, while allowing for some improvements. The Conservatives have pledged £18bn extra by the end of the parliament, which is below the amount needed to maintain current standards of care.'” 29 November 2019, The Health Foundation, https://www.health.org.uk/news-and-comment/news/general-election-2019-health-and-social-care-funding-pledges-analysis · Waiting lists are projected to reach 5.8 million by the end of 2024, up from 4.4 million in 2019 and 2.5 million in 2010
· The number of people waiting more than two months for cancer treatment is projected to reach 47,554 in 2024, up from 29,732 on 2018, and up almost 30,000 on 2010 when just 13,357 waited more than two months for treatment:
· The number of people waiting more than 4 hours in A&E is projected to reach 448,525 a month in 2024, up on 320,034 in October 2019 and up 41,231 in November 2010:
Rising waiting lists Since the 2017 general election: · 6.7 million people have waited more than 4 hours in A&E · 1.6 million people have waited more than 4 hours on trolleys in A&E departments as they wait to be admitted · There are an extra 590,000 people on the NHS waiting list · The number of beds in the NHS has fallen to the lowest on record The Tories are failing to meet key NHS performance targets · The Tories are currently failing to meet four key targets, including A&E, referral to treatment and cancer waiting times · October 2019 saw the worst A&E performance on record. The number of people seen within 4 hours in A&E in October 2018 fell to the lowest percentage on record. 83.6% people seen within 4 hours in A&E. This represents a 2% decrease on October 2018 · In Type 1 A&Es, just 74.5% of patients were seen within 4 hours in October 2018. This is the lowest on record and represents more than 1 in 4 patients waiting more than 4 hours in A&E
Workforce crisis Tories have created a staffing crisis in the NHS: · There are 43,000 nursing vacancies in the NHS and 4,500 fewer mental health nurses October 2019, NHS Digital workforce statistics NHS Digital, Workforce statistics October 2019 https://www.nursingtimes.net/news/workforce/nhs-nurse-vacancies-in-england-rise-to-more-than-43000-08-10-2019/ · 1 in 10 consultant psychiatrist posts are vacant Royal College of Psychiatrists workforce census https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/improving-care/workforce/our-workforce-census · There are 1600 fewer GPs in the NHS than September 2015 October 2019, NHS Digital workforce statistics The Tories are failing to address the crisis in social care · The Conservatives have failed to address the crisis in social care. According to Age UK, delayed discharges from hospital due to failure to arrange social care has cost the NHS £27,000 an hour - £587 million – since the 2017 General Election · The Conservative Manifesto lacked any policy proposals on social care or new funding, called a “shameful omission” by the health foundation. Failing on funding · The Conservatives manifesto commitments have been widely criticised for lack of commitments on health and social care, with the funding announced described as “below the amount needed to maintain current standards of care” by the health foundation. Failing on social care · The Health Foundation called the lack of social care policy in the Conservative’s manifesto a “shameful omission” “The absence of any clear policy on social care in today’s manifesto is a shameful omission for a party that’s been in power for nearly a decade.” 24 November 2019, The Health Foundation, https://www.health.org.uk/news-and-comment/news/health-foundation-response-to-the-conservative-manifesto · Social care delayed discharges have cost the NHS £587 million since the 2017 general election 5th December 2019, Age UK |
