Labour leader’s comments follow reports that net immigration for 2022 could almost reach one million
In his Today interview Wes Streeting, the shadow health secretary, did not just talk about workforce numbers. (See 10.42am.) This is what he said on other aspects of Labour health policy.
Streeting said in theory he supported the idea of banning smoking over time, but that he needed to be convinced it was workable. New Zealand has passed a law that would increase the smoking age over time, so that people who are children now will grow up never being allowed to buy cigarettes. A government review published last year made the same recommendation. Ministers have not accepted the plan, but George Osborne, the former Tory chancellor, recently said he was in favour. Asked if he agreed, Streeting said in principle this was a good idea, but that he was worried about the practicalities. He said:
The question for me on the New Zealand-style smoking ban isn’t whether it’s desirable, because I think in policy terms, and in terms of public opinion, interestingly, I think there is an appetite and a policy driver there to do it.
For me it’s about is it workable, and that’s what we’re looking at at the moment and what we’re consulting on …
He said improving cancer outcomes would be a key test for the next Labour government. Labour’s manifesto will be built around five missions, one of which covers health. The party has not published details of its health missions yet, but Streeting implied they would include a promise to improve cancer survival rates. He said:
In order to improve cancer outcomes – and I’m saying today, judge the next Labour government on cancer outcomes – it requires us to think radically about how we reform and reshape the NHS, to speed up diagnosis, improve access to treatment, and getting the diagnostic phase right as well.
Streeting confirmed that he wanted to make it easier for patients to get diagnostic tests without going through a GP. He said:
One of the things that we’ve said, partly to reduce pressure on general practice, which I think is overwhelmed, is to create new front doors into the NHS as well.
One of the things that I’ve reflected on, particularly looking at continental Europe and the way that other countries are doing the front door much better, is moving some of that diagnostic capacity into the community and making it much easier to [access].
