The NHS is in crisis, and ministers are taking the opportunity to extend private healthcare’s reach
NHS waiting lists are out of control. Around 7.5 million people are queueing for hospital treatment in the UK, around 6 million of them in England, where this is the highest number since records began in 2007. In Wales, more than a fifth of the population is waiting for treatment. There are differences in the policies adopted by the devolved administrations to reduce backlogs. In England, it is clear that an increased role for the private sector is the government’s plan.
The details of the recovery plan promised by ministers are still being finalised, with NHS bosses resisting what they regard as unrealistic targets. Finding a way to increase surgical capacity, so that more operations can happen more quickly, is the priority. The impact of delays is both social and economic: people waiting for cataracts can’t see properly; people who need joint replacements may struggle to walk. But there are worrying signs that any new contracts will tip the system’s overall balance further in favour of for-profit providers, and away from the NHS.
