Top down NHS reorganisation should ‘be abandoned’

Jonathan Ashworth is calling on new Health Secretary Sajid Javid to abandon the government’s ill-thought through top down NHS re-organisation designed by Matt Hancock.

Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care will speak in the Commons urging Javid to scrap the re-organisation and instead prioritise bringing down waiting lists, and supporting the NHS to deal with the ongoing threat posed by the Delta variant.  

Ashworth said: “This is a moment of great pressure on the NHS. Waiting lists are at 5 million, 300,000 people are waiting over 12 months for treatment and cancer and mental health waiting times are growing. Not to mention the ongoing infections and pressure on hospitals due to covid.

“This is not the moment to be rushing into a flawed top-down reorganisation. In recent weeks I’ve heard increasing worries from NHS and local government leaders that the plans are ill-thought through.

“Sajid Javid needs to make clear that he will spend his time concentrating on covid, sorting out social care, bringing down waiting lists and giving the NHS workforce the pay rise they deserve rather than foisting an unworkable top down reorganisation on the NHS.”