NHS going through “worst crisis in its history” says Health Secretary

We spoke to the Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, and asked him if he was prepared to think the unthinkable when it comes to the NHS?

Wes Streeting: I’ve made it clear that the NHS needs to reform or it will die. The NHS is going through what is objectively the worst crisis in its history. My first impression after a week in the Department of Health and Social Care is that it’s even worse than we thought. There are things that we will put into the public domain that I think people will find quite shocking, actually – in terms of the state of the NHS. I think when we do come forward, and when Lord Darzi publishes his investigation, people will be shocked that even beyond the headline numbers we already know about, there are also serious performance failures and serious accountability failures. And we’re going to be honest about that – I think for a few reasons. Firstly, sunlight is the best disinfectant. If you’re going to provide the right prescription for a problem, you need to get the diagnosis right.

Cathy Newman: You said, before you got your feet under the table and saw how bad it was – in your words – that an NHS, free at the point of use was something you were prepared to die in a ditch for. Having seen how bad it is and how challenging it is, is that still the case?

Wes Streeting: Not only will I always defend the NHS as a public service, free at the point of use, nothing I’ve seen has shaken my conviction that that is the fairest, most equitable way to provide healthcare in this country.

Cathy Newman: Lord Darzi himself said that when he was a health minister, and I quote, his big regret was that he failed to persuade GPs to change the way they work.

Wes Streeting: Well, not just GPs. I found in the last two and a half years, as the shadow health and social care secretary, spending time shadowing people on the front line, they’re crying out for change. They are absolutely desperate. And one of the things I was really struck by last week, when I said our NHS is broken, were the numbers of frontline staff, not just on social media, but also getting in touch directly to say, ‘Finally, someone’s being honest about the state of the system that we’re working in.’

Cathy Newman: But you set yourself an impossible challenge because you said you’re going to end this begging bowl culture, in your words, of the NHS, your department, going cap in hand to the Treasury. But there’s a billion – multi-billion – pound backlog in capital investment. There are serious staff shortages. Are you seriously saying you’re not going to need a whole lot of extra cash to fix those problems, as well as reform?

Wes Streeting: I think the lesson of the last Labour government is that it’s investment plus reform that delivers results. And that’s why I thought it was significant in Labour’s manifesto, given the tough choices Rachel Reeves had to make as shadow chancellor – she’s now having to continue to make as chancellor – that she identified the NHS as a priority. But every bit of that investment is linked to reform,

Cathy Newman: You can’t fix any of the problems of the NHS without fixing social care. You promised a national care service in the manifesto, but there weren’t really that many details on timescale or resourcing, for example. You have promised that you’ll implement the Dilnot Care Commission, capping costs by October 2025. But the NAO, the national spending watchdog, says that’s impossible, unless work began last year and it hasn’t.

Wes Streeting: I’ve asked officials to report to me on progress against the Dilnot implementation. I’m expecting a report on that shortly. I want to make sure, though, that as well as that we’re delivering the fair pay agreements that we promised in our manifesto so that we can have the care workforce. We need national standards for every part of the country. And we’re going to get on with that.

Cathy Newman: So, immediate legislation?

Wes Streeting: Immediate first steps on social care. But a 10-year plan for social care, because it’s such a huge challenge for our country, and it is going to take time.

Cathy Newman: It is the most working class cabinet in history. Do you look around the cabinet table and sort of pinch yourself still?

Wes Streeting: Yeah, there’s no other way to describe it. I was so proud to be part of that. I think that is going to make a big difference. Because if you look like the country that you’re serving, you’re more likely to make decisions in the interests of everyone.

Cathy Newman: But has it sunk in yet?

Wes Streeting: It’s getting there. To be honest, I’ve been running at 100 miles an hour, the level of hyperactivity. I’m sure if and when I get some downtime at some point, maybe. The NHS saved my life when I went through kidney cancer. Now I’m determined to use that life to save our NHS.

Cathy Newman: But you’ll pinch yourself in that downtime. You’re really health secretary now.

Wes Streeting: I definitely know I’m health secretary now. I’ve got the challenges coming thick and fast.