NHS

Our NHS needs urgent Reform.

We must make it a national endeavour to get to Zero NHS Waiting Lists in 2 years. This can be done, but only with a fresh, bold, can-do approach. Healthcare must remain free at the point of use.

 Whilst we treasure some of the front line care provided by the NHS, we must be honest. The NHS is in crisis: patients are suffering. Too often the care lets people down badly. Waiting lists are at record highs. Hospital beds have been cut from 300,000 to 141,000 while the population has grown by 20%.

Hundreds die every week because of delays in Accident and Emergency. Ambulance waiting times are at record highs. This has contributed to an excess deaths crisis and some of the worst health outcomes in Europe.

This is not about funding. Per head of population, NHS spending is similar to other western countries. Sadly, the NHS is being let down by incompetent management, bureaucracy, waste, cover-ups and scandals. The NHS has a crisis in leadership. This will take time to fix. It is about structure and motivation.

Critical reforms needed in the first 100 days:

 Transform Doctor and Nurse Availability.

All frontline NHS and social care staff to pay zero basic rate tax for 3 years. This will help retain existing staff and attract back many who have recently left. We want the best staff with patients, not in offices behind desks or retired.

Use Independent Healthcare Capacity.

Cut waiting lists by using UK & overseas providers. The vast majority do not mind who delivers the cure, we just want the pain gone. This independent sector includes many not for profit health providers that provide some of the best care. Organisations such as Nuffield Health and Marie Curie, which provides end of life cancer care are charities. We want to encourage more of these organisations to end the NHS crisis.

Tax Relief of 20% on all Private Healthcare and Insurance.

We will incentivise people who can afford to pay more. This will improve care for all as pressure on the NHS is significantly reduced. Those who rely on the NHS will enjoy faster better care. Independent healthcare capacity will grow rapidly, providing competition and reducing costs. Firms should be encouraged to offer staff health insurance – this will become standard. Labour will instead add VAT on independent healthcare, which will make the NHS worse off.

Doctor and Nurse Training.

End training caps for all UK medical students. Write off student fees pro rata per year over 10 years of NHS service for all doctors, nurses & medical staff.

Thereafter:

 Put Patients in Charge With a New NHS Voucher Scheme..

Patients will receive a voucher for private treatment if they can’t see a GP within 3 days. For a consultant, the time limit would be 3 weeks. For an operation, 9 weeks.

Cut Waste, Bureaucracy and Unnecessary Managers.

Focus on results, not targets. Nail down better prices using economies of scale. Better IT for example. Review all Private Finance Contracts in NHS. Significant savings potential. Remove Lifetime Cap on NHS Pensions. This causes 70% of surgeons to reduce their hours.

Save A&E.

GP waiting lists are hitting A&E. Cut waiting times with a campaign of ‘Pharmacy First, GP Second, A&E Last’. More beds in A & E and other parts of the NHS are essential.

Excess Deaths and Vaccine Harms Public Inquiry.

Excess deaths are nearly as high as they were during the Covid pandemic. Young people are overrepresented.