NHS Confederation responds to Labour waiting list death figures
Responding to figures published by Labour on the number of people who died while waiting for care on the NHS last year, Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation said:
“There will be a range of factors at play here, but these figures are a stark reminder about the potential repercussions of long waits for care. They are heartbreaking for the families who will have lost loved ones and are deeply dismaying for NHS leaders who continue to do all they can in extremely difficult circumstances.
“Covid will have had an impact on these figures, but we can’t get away from the fact that a decade of underinvestment in the NHS has left it with not enough staff, beds and vital equipment, as well as a crumbling estate in urgent need of repair and investment. All of this has been compounded by years of under-investment in social care.”
About us
We are the membership organisation that brings together, supports and speaks for the whole healthcare system in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The members we represent employ 1.5 million staff, care for more than 1 million patients a day and control £150 billion of public expenditure. We promote collaboration and partnership working as the key to improving population health, delivering high-quality care and reducing health inequalities.
