Labour Demands Weekend Appointments and Overhaul of NHS Structure
Labour has announced its intention to eliminate the non-dom tax status in order to finance overtime pay, with Wes Streeting emphasizing the need for NHS reform in parallel with funding.
Sir Keir Starmer, the leader of the Labour party, has revealed plans to increase weekend appointments in order to address NHS backlogs, while stressing that investment in the national health service must be accompanied by reform.
Recently published NHS England data indicates a slight reduction in the overall waiting list for treatment, with 7.71 million treatments pending at the end of October, relating to 6.44 million patients, compared to 7.77 million treatments and 6.50 million patients at the end of September.
Sir Keir has urged Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to allocate additional funds for overtime compensation for doctors and nurses, proposing the party’s intention to abolish the non-dom tax status as a means to fund it.
Wes Streeting, the shadow health secretary, backed his party leader’s stance during a visit to a hospital in Yorkshire, where weekend clinics have been introduced, emphasizing the need for sustainable investment and reform in the NHS.
Streeting argued that pouring more money into the system isn’t the sole solution, stressing the importance of investment and reform to produce tangible outcomes, warning that the NHS is facing various challenges that could overwhelm its capacity and drive financial insolvency if not addressed effectively.
The Labour frontbencher also criticized the government’s approach to NHS funding over the last 13 years and cautioned against complacency in addressing the long-term sustainability of the health service.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt proposed leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance productivity and alleviate administrative burdens on public service workers, which could potentially mitigate the need for excessive tax hikes.
PA Media contributed to this report.
