Rishi Sunak blasted over NHS waits as Labour vows to ‘ramp up’ extra time clinics

On Dec 18, 2023

Keir Starmer says Labour will “ramp up” weekend hospital appointments if he turns into PM – as he took purpose at floundering Rishi Sunak.

He urged the under-fire Tory chief to again plans to fund extra extra time for docs and nurses by scrapping the non-dom tax standing. The Labour chief stated £1.1billion of the cash raised will fund additional night and weekend clinics.

This will ship an additional two million operations, scans and appointment a yr, he stated. It comes because the Prime Minister scrambles to chop ready lists by the tip of the yr so as to meet his pledge to take action.

Mr Starmer stated: “Labour has a fully-funded, NHS-backed plan to ramp up weekend appointments, clear the backlog and help give people their lives back. There is one reason it’s not happening, and that’s a political choice by the Prime Minister to keep a tax loophole for the wealthiest.

“Patients will rightfully be questioning why.” NHS England data published last week showed 6.44 million patients were waiting for 7.71 million treatments at the end of October.

The Labour leader and Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting will visit a hospital trust in Yorkshire on Monday, where weekend clinics have already been brought in. Labour said that more than half of hospitals close operating theatres at weekends.

Mr Starmer said: “While the Prime Minister schemes in Westminster, chasing down gimmicks to save lots of his political pores and skin, ready lists are rising and the NHS heads into yet one more winter disaster. Some hospitals are already blazing the path with weekend working, however want a authorities that backs them to unleash the total potential of our well being service.”

And in a savage dig at his rival, whose wife was revealed to have saved millions thanks to her non-dom tax status last year, he said: “The Prime Minister ought to put his satisfaction and politics apart, change the principles defending the wealthiest and prioritise sufferers over non-doms.”