Rishi Sunak tells health leaders bold approach will fix NHS

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak told a gathering of health and social-care leaders that a "bold and radical approach" is needed to end the crisis at the country's National Health Service.

Sunak hosted a "recovery forum" of health professionals and officials at Downing Street on Saturday that was first announced last night to address issues including improving emergency treatment and speeding up social-care discharge. The government said it would publish plans to improve ambulance and A&E waiting times in the coming weeks.

"We are determined to ease pressure on the NHS, ensure better care for patients and deliver our promise to cut waiting lists," Sunak commented in a tweet Saturday.


Members of Sunak's own party have criticized the government's response to the latest pressures on the NHS. Staff shortages, labor unrest and the fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic and winter flu have led some hospitals to declare critical incidents. Seriously ill patients are facing long waits for emergency care and there has been a steep rise in excess deaths at home and in hospitals.

Nurses and ambulance workers are slated to take further industrial action this month, while a union representing junior doctors said Friday it would hold a 72-hour strike in March if members embrace it in a ballot starting this week. Talks between ministers and unions across different industries are expected to resume Monday.