British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will try to restore confidence in himself next week by announcing a series of radical changes to the national health service aimed at reducing waiting times for millions of patients in England, the "Guardian" reported, quoted by BNR.
Labour has been through a difficult six months since winning the general election, and one of the most sensitive topics is healthcare. More than 6 million are on the waiting list for medical care. Under the new plans, patients will be able to receive direct referrals for tests and scans for a range of ear, nose and throat, gynaecological, urological, bowel and lung conditions, without having to speak to a consultant first, as is usual practice.
Thousands of patients in England will also be offered a same-day consultation when they have their scans or tests, which should speed up the treatment process.
However, senior doctors have said they are not convinced Starmer's plans will work, as the NHS workforce crisis means there are staff shortages that will really reduce the number of people on waiting lists any time soon. Most NHS bosses are sceptical about the plans, despite the £112bn extra promised by Chancellor Rachel Reeves over the next two years.