Labour leader Keir Starmer will outline a plan to tackle NHS waiting lists in a major speech Monday. The plan aims to reduce waiting times for treatment to 18 weeks by the next general election.
Starmer's speech will detail how ballooning NHS backlogs have negatively impacted patient care, citing "millions of patients languishing on waiting lists, often in pain or fear." The plan, according to Labour, is part of a commitment to create 2 million additional appointments in the first year of a potential Labour government, equivalent to 40,000 weekly appointments.
The proposed plan features increased use of community diagnostic centers, providing patients with more convenient access to scans, tests, and other procedures closer to home. It will also establish new surgical hubs to safeguard scheduled procedures from seasonal or other disruptions.
This initiative comes as the Prime Minister faces pressure to deliver on election promises. The plan will also involve an "elective reform plan" designed to reduce waiting lists and hospital backlogs.
