NHS Confederation responds to the Labour Party's promise to tackle NHS waiting list
Responding to the Labour Party's promise to clear the NHS waiting list backlog over the next five years, Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation said:
"There is no doubt that NHS leaders and their teams have been working incredibly hard to provide safe and timely care to patients all year round.
"However, while teams have been doing all they can, we cannot escape the surrounding pressures that the service is under, this includes rising demand, ongoing industrial action, and a financial crisis in social care. While the priority for staff as always is to treat patients and keep them safe, the backlog still looms over the NHS with the IFS reporting that it’s unlikely waiting lists will reach pre-pandemic levels over the next four years.
"Every penny counts in the service, and we welcome the promises set out. To make inroads in tackling the waiting list we need long term planning which means the right support and resources to ensure the extra beds opened this winter continue to be staffed, as well as opening new theatres to keep tackling the backlog.
"Any new government faces an NHS in an incredibly tight financial position, and leaders are extremely worried that this could jeopardise the improvements made so far.
"That is why our members would also like to see capital funding boosted by an extra £6.4 billion a year. This will mean they can start to address the repairs backlog and invest in new technology and equipment, which directly effects productivity in the service. NHS leaders also want to see a promise to fund the existing NHS workforce plan, so we have enough staff to treat patients."
