The NHS, despite receiving substantial funding, has failed to meet its commitment to reduce waiting times as outlined in its recovery plan, according to a recent report. This has raised concerns about the Labour Party's ability to fulfill its key pledge to voters to 'fix the NHS' by ensuring patients receive hospital care within 18 weeks by 2029. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has criticized the NHS's efforts, stating that improvements in providing faster tests and treatment have stagnated. The committee also criticized Keir Starmer and the health secretary, Wes Streeting, for a costly, unplanned reorganization of the NHS in England, which could potentially harm care and is reminiscent of the HS2 rail project debacle. The report reveals that a significant number of patients still face long waits for non-urgent hospital care, with some waiting over a year, and others waiting more than six weeks for an X-ray or scan. The PAC's findings indicate that progress in reducing waiting times has halted, with the total elective care waiting list standing at 7.4 million clinical pathways, approximately 220,000 fewer than when Labour took power in July 2024. This has sparked concern among ministers, as the public's top priority is to see NHS waiting times decrease. The PAC's conclusions have also raised alarm bells in government circles, as the public's trust in the NHS's ability to manage waiting times is at stake. The Liberal Democrats have described the NHS's efforts to eliminate long delays for care as a 'shambles'. Rachel Power, the chief executive of the Patients Association charity, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the patients' frustration over the past decade, despite the billions spent on the NHS. The PAC's analysis of the NHS England's elective recovery plan, published in 2022, revealed missed targets for improving access to planned care and diagnostic tests by last spring. Additionally, the NHS England's investment of £3.24 billion in community diagnostic centers and surgical hubs has not resulted in reduced delays. The report also highlights the persistence of long waits, with 192,000 people waiting at least a year for care in July, despite a pledge to eradicate this practice by March 2025. Furthermore, 22% of patients were still waiting more than six weeks for a diagnostic test, despite the goal of reducing this to 5% by March. Labour's decision to restructure the NHS in England, which Streeting had ruled out during the opposition, has been deemed 'not prudent' by the PAC. The committee also raised concerns about the potential harm delayed care could cause to patients, emphasizing the increased anxiety and risk to life for undiagnosed individuals. Helen Morgan, the Lib Dem health spokesperson, described the situation as a 'shambles', urging the government to take immediate action. Siva Anandaciva, from the King's Fund thinktank, added that the report further underscores the UK's lag in healthcare recovery compared to other countries. Despite the prime minister's top priorities, the government is facing challenges in achieving this goal, as the progress made and political will may not be sufficient. Labour's pledge to 'build an NHS fit for the future' includes restoring the guarantee of patients receiving planned hospital care within 18 weeks by 2029. However, reports from the Institute for Fiscal Studies, the Health Foundation, and the Institute for Government have cast doubt on the likelihood of this promise being fulfilled. The Department of Health and Social Care defended Labour's record, acknowledging the challenges they inherited but emphasizing the immediate and robust actions taken to address waiting lists and modernize elective care. The spokesperson claimed that waiting lists are now falling for the first time in 15 years, with significant backlogs reduced and additional appointments delivered, aligning with the NHS's modernization efforts.
