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The King's Fund responds to the Public Accounts Committee's report on NHS waiting times
Siva Anandaciva, Director of Policy, Events and Partnerships at The King’s Fund, responded to the Public Accounts Committee’s report which found that the NHS is missing its recovery targets despite billions in extra funding and that the government's planned NHS reforms are replicating poor practices seen on HS2
‘This report only adds to the steady drum beat of evidence that the UK is lagging behind other countries’ health services in recovering from the pandemic.
‘The NHS has tackled some of the longest waits for care, which is something we should welcome. But the government still finds itself at risk of failing to meet its target of 92% of patients waiting no longer than 18-weeks for treatment by 2029. Despite it being one of the Prime Minister's top three priorities, and the progress already made, the government is finding out that achieving it will be neither quick nor easy.
‘The task of both reforming the NHS and getting it back on its feet is hard enough. But these changes will now happen at the same time as a massive reorganisation of the NHS. This report is right to question whether this restructure could end up being the HS2 of health care policy and cause more distraction at a time when the NHS could be improving services.
‘The trade-offs surrounding the government's political focus on reducing waiting times must continue to be acknowledged. Waiting times clearly matter to NHS staff, patients and the public. But other areas such as measures to prevent people from needing treatment in the first place may fall by the wayside as long as the government only has eyes for a minus symbol next to the waiting list number each month.’
Notes to editors
The King’s Fund has recently published a blog showing how the UK’s health system has been less well-resourced than health systems in many comparable countries.
For further information, or to request an interview, please contact The King's Fund media team on 020 7307 2585 or mediaoffice@kingsfund.org.uk.
The King's Fund is an independent charity working to improve people's health. Our vision is a world where everyone can live a healthy life. Our mission is to inspire hope and build confidence for positive change. We achieve this through expert insights and original research, developing leaders and their organisations, convening, and strategic, collaborative partnerships.
Billions spent to tackle NHS waiting lists but service recovery targets still missed, PAC finds
