Keir Starmer issues warning on state of NHS in harrowing speech

[@Raw_Deal]

Tax the top 1% fairly and you're 99% there.

[@lkyuvsad]

Not top 1%, but probably top 5% and my family desperately need the NHS. I'd very happily pay thousands and thousands more to fund this thing properly. I think some rich people think private health insurance will sort them out and they're immune to a collapsing NHS. From personal experience, they should not have so much confidence in that. A&E will always be NHS. Once you've got a chronic or recurring condition you're usually stuck in the same job if you're on a group policy, because there are normally carve-outs for pre-existing. It's hard to find policies that cover expensive chronic health conditions. And even if all that were not a problem, how many people have _no_ loved ones who don't have private health cover?

[@stujujitwingfut5192]

​@lkyuvsad so do it then, it's easy to do most hospitals/nhs openily welcome charitable donations

[@lkyuvsad]

​@@rcleg4522 > why would they accept paying even higher rates, such as extreme capital gains tax 1. We high earners already capture a huge chunk of the national output. 2. We still need a functioning NHS unless we're multi-multi millionaires 3. The UK is a nicer place to live when you're not surrounded by desperate, destitute people. 4. Real-terms income of the top 1% was lower than it is now 14 years ago and that was still a lovely life > all that will happen is they leave and we are left here to pay even more How little faith do you have in the UK that you think low taxes are the only reason to live here? I could literally 5x my income by moving to the US East coast. I don't, because I have a life here and I like the UK. It's my home. I could go to Dubai, or Monaco as you suggest- but I cannot understand the mind that would rather live in Dubai or Monaco rather than the cultural glory that is the UK. Removing non-dom status didn't result in an exodus of non-doms, so we've tested that hypothesis in reality and it doesn't work. If people do leave, we also need to remember that wealth is not generated by rich people. Having a healthy middle class and lower earners who have even a little more disposable creates more customers. If CEOs leave, that is not the big deal people think it is. The customers that create the wealth they capture will still be here, they'll have more money, and they won't be dealing with the cost and time sink that is the medical and care crises of their loved once. If you work in a BigCo, look at your own company- which would be worse: replacing the c-suite with people prepared to work for a little less, or a 10% drop in the productivity of the rest of the work force? How many of the 1% do you know? That is, perhaps to my shame, the majority of my close friends. Literally none of them would leave the UK in response to a higher tax bill, especially if it funded the NHS. > Monaco is zero tax and the whole place is rich. Low tax = rich country That cannot possibly be a good faith point.

[@Jon-ov4nc]

​@rcleg4522 that is not why Monaco is rich, to be a resident in Monaco you must have half a million euros sitting in a bank account... otherwise you have to leave It's rich because only rich people are allowed

[@lestrem11]

Show me the figures and who EXACTLY are the rich, child

[@justhannah3960]

The NHS needs investment. So maybe tax the fucking rich or something? Dear god, these people!

[@lkyuvsad]

Yup. The fundamental problem with the NHS is that it's seen per-capita, real-terms funding go down for 14 years when the population has been steadily aging. Incremental change based on better management is all good, but sooner or later they need to fix funding, and there's only one group of people with the money to pay for that without drifting even further below the standard of living they enjoyed in the mid-2000s. The NHS was one of the most efficient health systems in the world _before_ we had PFI. We just need to go back to somewhere close to where we were, and increase funding enough to be appropriate for an older population. Secondarily, the NHS is paying too much for services from profit-making orgs and I have little optimism that Labour will be fixing that. Indeed this seems like it's going in the opposite direction. Bring the private sector in to the NHS, the next Tory government will ratchet that up a little more, over and over until the NHS is unrecognisable.

[@Tgoth77]

We do tax the rich? Do you think the UK is some kind of tax haven for the wealthy?

[@lkyuvsad]

Even if you're a centrist, in the context of an ever-more-right-wing Tory party, Labour _has_ to pull us further to the left during its terms if that's going to be where the country is on average over the long term.

[@emanuel1940]

Yes do the most tory thing you can do apart from austerity and corruption and thats throw money at the problem rather than fixing it from the ground up. The NHS needs reform not more money.

[@johnburrows3385]

Yup, we need redistribution big time . Follow Gary Stevenson and you'll see the true realities.

[@carlevans67]

No mention of £300Bn PFI debt or Private Healthcare Companies milking the NHS?

[@zxG777]

Part of reform should be undoing this imo. This should be obvious from looking at internal vs external costings

[@zxG777]

My point being, if the nhs take this seriously and work competently, this shouldn't be a thing in 10 years. So i guess we'll see

[@markmaher4548]

@@carlevans67 Did you not hear him mention the cost of agency staff per shift?

[@TheGalifrey]

Labour introduced PFI so they should also remove it! One of Blair's worst policies.

[@SammyInnit]

​@@TheGalifreyJohn Major introduced PFI

[@JohnGrenadian]

I worked in an NHS IT department and left after a year because of how old-fashioned and backward the culture and processes were. The banding system for employees creates a strange, almost military-like dynamic, and it was common to refer to your manager, supervisor, or colleague by their band. Anyone who tried to implement any changes or cost-saving measures was always told, 'We’ve always done it this way,' or simply laughed at. Most managers were more concerned with clock-watching than with your actual output, and don’t even get me started on the nepotism.

[@lkyuvsad]

I wish somebody somewhere in government would learn the lessons from the success and subsequent evisceration of Government Digital Services. I know so many developers who'd love to work on building public-sector systems if it wasn't such a hostile environment for good engineering. Friends who worked for GDS in the good days absolutely loved it, and were happy to take a bit of a pay cut to be there.

[@robinmcara793]

Not too mention bullying is rife across the country in the NHS. There's a girl who picks up methadone before her work where I live. Joke of an organisation.

[@Antipaxos_Nadja123]

The report literally said austerity was one of the main causes of the crisis. In what world can he say the answer isn't proper funding with a straight face?

[@Ma55ey]

because he's laying the foundations for more Austerity measures.

[@archvaldor]

@@Ma55ey He's not laying any foundations. This is a declaration of war on the national health service.

[@enemystand2981]

@@TheBogieManwe knew what we were voting for. Honestly Plaid, LD, and SNP would’ve been a better alternative for our nations than this shambolic party

[@MyName-cw4yr]

Because the money they do have is spent unwisely.... nhs trustee on 350k? Absolutely outlandish

[@Antipaxos_Nadja123]

@robinmcara793 that's not really waste, the NHS actually has less managers than comparable countries for example. Treatment of staff is a genuine bad thing, I'm from an NHS family I know firsthand how bad things can be, but any solution still needs funding so there's actually enough capacity and stability to manage the workforce and ensure they can be treated well

[@stevemc81]

So just to confirm I've understood correctly 02:54 tory top down reforms bad - 10:30 labour top down reforms good I say this as a software developer - IT is not a silver bullet, you need to fix your processes before you automate them - I guarentee that if this is another Agile project it will be yet another failure.

[@Britishscout2012]

Idk with the data available to the NHS I'd love to have at least some things to rule out before going to see a professional. Also early warnings and next of kin, we missed a call from the doctor about a chest x-ray and two days later (over the weekend) my dad has a stroke from the clot they'd spotted. Why wasn't there texts going " get your ass to the hospital" or a website to check or at least a follow up call?

[@lkyuvsad]

"you need to fix your processes before you automate them" yes! Software isn't magic fairy dust. There's a guy called John Seddon who's written some (I think) great stuff on this. Perhaps you're familiar with him but if not I find him worth reading.

[@DileepaRanawake]

Absolutely agree. Starmers plan is mad hypocrisy. We need to stop the NHS being sold for parts and profiteering. Re nationalise it.

[@RedSntDK]

NHS is not a business. Economics is not a science.

[@user-kb8rc5vq2i]

The economists of today are the court astrologists and alchemists of yesterday.

[@alphamikeomega5728]

Economists said that austerity was a bad idea when the interest rate was low (so, 2008-2021). Some disagreed, but they based that on a paper which wasn't even peer-reviewed, and which has since been debunked. The US paid attention to economists, and their recovery was a lot better than the UK's, where the Tories chose austerity. Don't confuse Tory policy with what economists support: it is not.

[@RedSntDK]

@@alphamikeomega5728 Good point. But like trying to win an argument online, they probably just chose the numbers of that one guy that promised them it'd work, you know, because they wanted to do austerity.

[@enemystand2981]

@@user-kb8rc5vq2iI like this a lot. These guys give themselves massive pats on the back and healthy bonuses thinking they’re more intelligent and talented than the rest, while we carry the country on our shoulders

[@MyName-cw4yr]

Run the NHS like a business, maybe its fortunes will change.

[@rdh-daliasjb3796]

How about reforming the NHS back to what it was?! Get rid of a load of managers. Have an NHS agency for staff rather than it being private. Start bringing privatised parts of the NHS back under the NHS. Start training doctors and nurses, pay them properly, and don't make them start their jobs with massive debt. Stop selling off NHS assets, or is it too late? The money is there, you just want to take it off the poorest and not you donors.

[@lkyuvsad]

Well put. We talk about NHS reform as though the thing's never been any good. It was one of the world's best, most efficient health services until it was run in to the ground. We need to try to get back to running it the way we used to, but with some updates to take in to account advances in medicine and an ageing population. Crucially, if it was already one of the most efficient systems in the world when per-capita funding was higher, I don't know what makes us think we can magically fund it lower than previously and get the same results out.

[@GertrudePerkins]

There is an NHS Agency. NHS Professionals.

[@DileepaRanawake]

100% agree. Renationalise the NHS. Stop the private sector profits before patients and tax the super rich.

[@rdh-daliasjb3796]

@@GertrudePerkins My point is the NHS should only be hiring temporary nurses via an NHS agency that doesn't have a profit motive.

[@BB-jk1le]

​@@GertrudePerkins it's not, the rates are the same which is why no one wants to work the shifts and why people work for agencies

[@AntonLeChuck]

When the banks required £137b in 2008 to stay solvent, we simply printed it...

[@simplySY8]

Exactly as George Carlin said its a club and we ain't in it.

[@MaRi-Br1984]

I think the “we must remain within the same constraints” discourse is only there for the financial sector, that’s the only sector that grows in the British economy, just the banks… never minding that it’s just an unproductive sector that’s always coming first whatever they think about doing.

[@nathanaelsmith3553]

Socialism for the rich - capitalism for the poor

[@lestrem11]

Hence the inflation, child.

[@TheHoveHeretic]

We? I have NEVER printed money and I'm pretty sure I'd be locked up if I did.

[@haxstir]

This is just a softening up exercise for a policy that's been in the works for YEARS and cross party to boot.

[@metalhead2550]

@PoliticsJoe next time you have Torsten Bell on please grill him about his voting decision to force thousands of pensioners into poverty, which Martin Lewis says almost certainly cost the NHS billions in additional pneumonia cases

[@Paul_W_Tudor]

"Raise taxes on working or people OR reform or die"... No consideration of any of the many other options, for example, taxing the extremely wealthy. He obviously thinks the British public are completely stupid.

[@mattv5935]

They are taxing the wealthy. The right-wing press still complains saying they're "driving the rich out of the country". They can't win

[@dazball3707]

Yes! Tax the rich!

[@jamv2122]

tax the rich/scrap that mps can claim stupid amounts of money for expenses. restructure the nhs look and see what is acceptable on the nhs and what is not. manufacture our own medicines instead of a market that can swing to super high pricing.

[@Ma55ey]

@@Paul_W_Tudor I think "reform or die" might be Farages next election slogan 🤣

[@MyName-cw4yr]

The amount of "rich" hating jealousy is so utterly ridiculous is borders on the absurd.

[@krob2327]

My dad was a tool maker. He made me. A privileged man from Surrey. And now I’m grabbing all the freebies I can get.

[@paulyandnukhas]

May I be as bold as to possibly hypothetically propose a 4th option? Raise taxes on rich? On corporations? Idk, silly idea really, let’s let the IEA win, sorry I said anything… my bad.

[@lkyuvsad]

"I am prepared to be bold, even in the face of loud opposition" "...except The Sun, The Telegraph, The Times, Sky News, any companies donating to Labour or who Labour MPs might work for..."

[@Steven-ly9ei]

"Or even the labour MPS with principles or any humanity left"

[@benbhoy9]

Taking an allowance off the Old & Needy….Shocking……NEVER voting Labour Again…..

[@pse888]

Look at the big picture. They didn't want to.

[@gutembodiement]

TAX THE RICH FFS!!!!!!!

[@dazball3707]

CAPS essential for this! Let's all shout it out!! TAX THE RICH!!

[@joejjj4378]

I absolutely hate his speeches.

[@anthonywilson8998]

Our NHS has only a third of the beds in Germany and France that’s a policy for the last 30 years. This condemns us to a poor service and involves ambulance inefficiencies and a dependence on the care sector. It is a natural bottleneck that controls everything the assembly line is broken and any business would not allow this . We must increase beds asap and that will make the whole organisation more efficient and bring staff fully occupied not standing around chatting.

[@SammyInnit]

OK but it's not a hotel. What delivers results is the amount of qualified medical professionals who can treat patients. Quadruple the beds if you'd like; they'll just be filled with people who aren't getting treatment.

[@empressdoinalot]

​@@SammyInnityou're more likely to get treatment in a bed than in A&E. But according to Sammy that isn't the case

[@SammyInnit]

​@empressdoinalot The majority of my work is for the NHS and I can tell you first hand that no, that is not the case. The majority of care and treatment given by the NHS is outpatient or day treatment.

[@musicmikemn]

Also for context on that, France has an equivalent population size to us whereas Germany has around 25% more people!

[@empressdoinalot]

@@SammyInnit the majority is for the NHS but I work in it. I wasn't discussing outpatients because outpatients do become inpatients, seen it plenty of times.

[@ince55ant]

"now close your eyes while i sell the rest off"

[@Raw_Deal]

@@ince55ant 😂

[@BeeLZBeeb]

"And erm, bend over while you're at it. There's a good worker bee..."

[@sapphiresoul9547]

Get ready for him to privatise it. Of course they know what was happening.

[@nealwilliams5680]

Don't be fooled......none of these politicians really care.

[@EarlHare]

oh god who could have predicted this? surely not every single left-leaning candidate purged from the labour party in the run-up to the election.

[@Hamish.]

Can we please have some hope please

[@shanesloth4419]

working people have said over and over and over again if taxes were raised and went to public services that they would deal with it. but why not raise taxes on THE WEALTHY you dunderhead?

[@krob2327]

Because he wanted their free clothes

[@lamsing6090]

Human health is holistic so there's a great need for mental health and dentistry to improve. Yes to preventative care!

[@michaelrch]

18:18 33.6% of the vote is not a "huge mandate" for ANYTHING!

[@pokeedmund1016]

"Reform or die" Terrible choice of words politically. Nigel Fascist must be loving that

[@beefybreaker]

Starmer is doing something the Torries haven't done and that's describe aims and goals

[@thrasherthrash8987]

@@aircongosneyIt is the bar the Tories set…

[@SammyInnit]

​@thrasherthrash8987 Who cares what bar the tories set; elected MPs should strive to do more than what clearing the bar requires. No wonder the UK is a joke if you're going to give a pass because of muh tories.

[@beefybreaker]

@@aircongosney when I think about the prominent Tory messages of the past few years it's decisive language, blaming the homeless, blaming immigrants, blaming lazy workers. Whilst starmer lays out an current state of play , the ambition of where we can get to is so much more than the Tory approach of salvation only through privatisation.

[@haxstir]

So reform to save the NHS. What does that mean? Handing it over to business interests? Get . .the . . f**k . . out . . of . . here.

[@DileepaRanawake]

Worryingly I think you’re right. Starmer is trying to do more of break the NHS and sell it to his investment buddies. We need to renationalise the NHS now.

[@sdmr3506]

It’s interesting you say that because businesses constantly have to innovate to stay competitive. If 40% of the NHS were sold off, it could open up the healthcare market, fostering competition and potentially improving services and options. For someone like me who doesn’t use the NHS, why should I be paying for everyone else? It doesn’t feel fair to fund a system I don’t benefit from. Plus, with the NHS consuming the most money out of public services, selling part of it off could at least lead to lower taxes.

[@haxstir]

@@sdmr3506 Oh my. Just look at the healthcare system in the US. From a business perspective they make billions. From a healthcare perspective if you're on the lower rungs you're screwed. By the way, if you're rich enough to pay for the healthcare of those who can't afford it in a privatised health system, THEN YES, YOU ABSOLUTELY SHOULD!

[@mogzybuster]

@@sdmr3506 Because a healthier workforce is a more productive workforce and everyone benefits from the resulting economy including you.

[@mar2540]

Yeah, the reform is the keyword for privatisation. It's not worked well for our water supply so why the hell would they think it would work well for our NHS. It won't affect those with private healthcare, but it will affect those with public healthcare.

[@reneagac4739]

Everytime new government comes in all they do is to blame the previous one. Just get on with it.

[@dazball3707]

So true

[@robbiethepict2783]

The clue is in the name NHS and you are not allowed to sell something that you do not own.

[@yetidodger6650]

Private companies ares stripping all the funds out of the NHS, yet I'm pretty certain they will announce more private companies being invited in.

[@graemekeable8461]

This Labour government was elected because everyone was totally pissed off with the negligence of the tories. Let's hope that isn't carried on by this bunch

[@jonhenson1991]

£350 million per week was on the side of the brexit bus - Did we get that or were we lied to???

[@lkyuvsad]

Depends if you include track and trace and PPE, although strictly speaking I think that money went _through_ the NHS rather than _to_ it.

[@AmelityshTV]

"Reform or die" probably isn't the thing you should take from this

[@blahblahcw]

Very droll I like it

[@thepointedhat]

Sorry mate, your two choices are reform or tax working people? There seems to be a glaring obvious hole in your options! Here, let me help: 3 tax the rich. Problem solved. I don't get why these people think we don't know this? They seem to be unaware that the internet exists. Maybe they're too busy for KZbin!

[@thomasmanning477]

Honestly.. they talk as if rich people don't exist! It's just, "the poorest", "the sick", "working people".. what about the super wealthy?! They own the majority of the stuff in this country, and yet we act as if they're none existent. They think we're thick..

[@dazball3707]

Exactly!! Soo many comments here saying the same!! Let's shout it together!

[@TheLion-b3h]

He values rich tax dodgers more than working class services we’ve paid for and are still paying for, no mention of income tax reduction for the working class..!? But wants to take away services..!?! What are we paying tax for…!?! We get nothing in return ..!?

[@krob2327]

Protest.

[@SarcasticDespot]

They love talking about reform and digitalisation. The NHS has very severe labour shortages, we're not training enough doctors or nurses. The ones we have are leaving/retiring - no talk on that but always about reform/digitalisation. The govt is notoriously bad at doing anything tech related (remember the covid tracking app), so they'll hire more consultants who'll promise them apps. There's no in-house talent/expertise to develop or maintain these services further shovelling money away into private hands ignoring the fact the NHS worked better 15 years ago even without apps. Anyone who has had the displeasure with interacting with a govt website knows how shit they are and they will not save us (but Palantir will probs make a quick buck from all our medical data). Same braindead liberal thinking from Davos and Silicon Valley (I like tech - I work in tech. It will not save us)

[@lkyuvsad]

This is so, so important. I disagree with one thing- the UK has some _great_ government websites (not all of them!) as a result of Government Digital Services, which was sadly trashed by people who didn't understand what they had. GDS absolutely proved that it's possible to attract and retain talented in-house developers and allow them to deliver good services. I agree that NHSX/NHS Digital (now merged into NHS England) are far too enamoured with the likes of Palantir. I don't think it's the right model. There is enough demand for software in the NHS that you can justify a chunky headcount of on-payroll developers, and that will hugely reduce costs and improve outcomes. As you say the covid app is another example of inappropriate outsourcing to eye-wateringly expensive consultancies. And arguably it didn't need building in the first place. I also agree that digitisation is not going to be the main thing that improves the NHS. There are more pressing problems. I just also think that the NHS needs investment and air cover to build an in-house software capability that will save so much money over the long-term. Working for the software consultancies the NHS outsources to is not especially well-paid or pleasant work in comparison to the rest of the software industry. The NHS could directly hire developers who would be at least as good as and probably more motivated than consultancy staff.

[@fishinmalarkey9830]

Snake in a cheap suit

[@nickhbt]

Snake in an expensive suit.

[@SD_UK]

Yeah, pointless namecalling - that will fix the NHS ..

[@nickhbt]

@@SD_UK sorry. You are right. If he were to be believed about devolving power to the local level, the world may change. But the evidence of his autocratic style and political opportunism (in short, "snakeshness") makes me feel highly skeptical that he will 'deliver' anything other than PPI, bureaucratic management and disciplinary austerity.

[@PriorityDonk]

So many bots.

[@nathanaelsmith3553]

​@@nickhbt ... that a donor paid for

[@davebento1548]

Great speech !

[@pse888]

How the hell did Liz Truss ever become PM? And Boris Johnson knew just as little. I'm from Canada and I feel for the UK.

[@martincheeseman5809]

The tories were not interested helping they were only interested in them selves!

[@Cherrytune386]

Shame he couldn't have used a different word than reform!

[@carlevans67]

Here come Privitisation

[@LoneSheWolf09]

Yep STILL on schedule

[@GingerPeacenik]

DON'T LET IT HAPPEN! This American never sees doctors anymore because they're both all corrupt, and the cost of even the most basic care is astronomical. My nextdoor neighbor's insurance pays over $260,000 per year on her treatments. Neighbor across the street pays $52,000 PER MONTH for just one medication! If you think it's bad there now, believe me; the American route is 1,000x worse!

[@Ma55ey]

And the solution is more privitisation? How's that gone for any other public service that's been sold off to improve services??

[@Redsauce101]

Making everything more expensive when the NHS doesn't have enough money is the genius solution.

[@michaelrch]

@@Redsauce101it's what we're going to get whether you like it or not and whether it works or not.

[@Ma55ey]

@@michaelrch I wouldn't be opposed to a model like the French or German health systems, But with the health secretary in the pocket of the largest medical insurance company in the US, of course we'll get the American model....

[@michaelrch]

@@Ma55ey that's the point. The only real protection from private profiteers is to keep them out.

[@clowncarqingdao]

That's illogical. Why not tax the really wealthy?

[@AnitaWalters-h4i]

They need to work on the community first. There’s nowhere for some patients to go on discharge so they end up stuck in hospital when they don’t need to be there. There’s nowhere for teenage mental health patients to go so they end up being brought in to hospital as a place of safety instead of being looked after n the community. It’s the follow on and backup services that need to be improved

[@rolywood6392]

I do exterior cleaning, roofs, gutters, walls etc not solar panels, experienced mild tingles touching wet roof tiles or water filled gutters near them, an older customer rinsed his panels holding ladder got a nasty shock

[@tomcharlwood1031]

Saying a lot of the right things, but who that works in the NHS will believe him until they see an alternate response other than forcing the strained workforce to work harder and harder, or outscouring medicine to underqualified non-doctors.

[@krob2327]

We need for more nurses and drs trained up. Hopefully Ma y from the developing world grateful to be here willing to work for a wage that reflects public service. It’s curious how working class wages should be suppressed by globalisation just not yours

[@andrewbaxter9395]

Finally something Starmer says I agree with - we need Reform

[@kieran465]

I’m not against the idea of reform however, I’d be astounded to see improvement in services in 4/5 years from now.

[@johnbehan1526]

"Reform" is not a euphemism for "less consultants, more beds, public funding and further education training"

[@vincentblack7467]

He seems to know the problem..!!! Lol... 😂

[@andygardner5810]

Starmer - "The NHS runs through my family like a stick of rock" Cameron used lines like that over a decade ago. I wouldn't trust them with safety scissors.

[@DileepaRanawake]

Concerned digital NHS means making the NHS more private and further eroding it. Also concerned that community care means taking away responsibility for the NHS to provide care for everyone and toward private 3rd parties which you may or may not get access to depending on your postcode. If Kier is reforming the NHS he needs to ensure he undoes the harmful privatisation and profiteering that replaced placement treatment with shareholder profits.

[@doubledigital_]

the nurse thing is so bang on my friend was an agency nurse.. she got paid waaay more than a normal nurse.. but its the TAX payer who pays her!! its insane!!

[@ug1166]

I am concerned regarding the current government's approach, which seems to predominantly focus on criticising the previous administration. It appears that the Labour Party is struggling to present a clear plan or demonstrate the necessary experience to effectively govern.

[@matthewcarson5374]

Think he’s actually saying that there’s a huge number of cost inefficiencies in the NHS which need to be reformed and then giving the money in areas which will lead to actual efficiency.

[@lesrogers8383]

Let's hope there is hope.

[@macsmiffy2197]

I think there will have to be reform. I wish they would look at the Dutch system. Their version of National Insurance does not go into a general taxation pot, it is ring-fenced in separate insurance companies, but which are controlled by the government, so they have to cover all healthcare. Also, sport comes under the health department and there’s a strong emphasis on diet and exercise.

[@liam-james]

Sounds like these things need money to me.

[@AnitaWalters-h4i]

I work for the NHS and not only is it on its knees but so am I 😟

[@fireh3211]

When someone say Big Data, run for your life.

[@dazball3707]

😂

[@aytw661]

He is not wrong

[@taxpayer1040]

So does this mean if Weasley uses the private sector to solve the NHS waiting lists that those of us who do not use it will be pushed back. Will the NHS also pay the same rate to the private sector as those who use it. Or will it be like nursing homes where a fixed rate is paid no matter the homes charges and the shortfall is covered by those who are self financing. It may shortly be time to depart.

[@ineedthatcar7169]

Great let's get on with the reform! Let's give it a chance and see where this goes - it's not like we didn't put up with 14 years of nothing but abject policy from the Tories. For once let's hope the politicians dont botch it up as we deserve better than what we've got in terms of the NHS as it is.

[@Patrickjwalsh1976]

Keith likes this report but not the Ford report.

[@sdmr3506]

Children with rotting teeth is a sign of bad parenting. Parents should be held accountable, fined, and made to pay for the treatment. The rest of us shouldn’t have to cover the costs for something that is preventable with proper care.

[@DEVAEGIR]

As long as Starmer's answer is not to sell it to US (or other) HMOs.

[@snowmansully4053]

One big issue with nhs is they take to long to treat people and that person has to go in out hospital so many times which just cost alot more in other countries they treat people much faster so they not always in and out

[@pjofreire]

Next step: finishing the NHS .

[@Censorshift]

He probably doesn’t even use the NHS himself so how can he even relate to anything related to it

[@Grazias]

"Reform or Die" sounds like it should be Ava's catchphrase on the podcast

[@nasher931]

A lot of people saying "Just tax the rich!" And while yes, I agree that we should be doing far more of that than we currently are, I feel like they're missing how big the problem is. The NHS has been so poorly mismanaged under the tories, and technology has advanced so much in those 14 years that the entire infrastructure of the NHS (Through no fault of it's own) is so badly outdated and those bad management practices run deep. Funding is a good thing and of course we should be looking to fund further, but unless you address those deep structural issues, none of that money is going anywhere near where it needs to go. Imagine the job you have, or a job that you remember that was incredibly poorly handled. Really think about all the things that wrong with it that yourself/your colleagues were crying out for on a daily basis. Would a big dump of cash to the people in charge really have improved things in the way you wanted to see?

[@IngerPercival]

The plan has been in the background for years . Worked there more than 30 years ago ,the talk of privatisation of the NSH was talked about them and long before my time . The starting of an American way of the healthcare and we all have to pay twice. And take out private health insurance . This is just the beginning.

[@dazball3707]

The answer is aimple - tax wealth, not income! 1% tax on those with assets over 10M!! After reading some comments, its great to see others saying the same thing!

[@yc9129]

I've been waiting since Feb 2023 to see a surgeon to confirm I need surgery. I can then go on a 2 year waiting list

[@haxstir]

For crying out loud. Ever since Thatcher there has been this mentality of performative investment through management. The NHS is best managed by those who know patients and who know medicine, not business managers.

[@michaelrch]

17:00 "our changes won't be universally popular" means "privatisation".

[@jakeluna1888]

Who is going to pay for all this, tin tin?

[@tomofthetomb]

The top 5% of this country have seen their wealth explode in the last 15 years at the expense of working families. Let's just undo that redistribution of wealth

[@SammyInnit]

The working and middle class just like always.

[@blahblahcw]

In a just world they freeze the accounts and reclaim the money from the politicians that miss sold COVID service contracts to their mates

[@TheKseniagd]

Cahms waiting times over two years. Just waited them with my child with significant mental health issues. No special school places either. He is only 7. I can't work because he hasn't had a full time school place for two years. All special schools are full. Noone says yes to his EHCP.

[@snowmansully4053]

Lol look at them acting like they didnt know they knew all along they just know they cant hide it no more so acting all shocked and superised with this circus

[@SarahWalker-Smith]

I expect a lot of privatisation is going to be the ‘solution’.

[@MuhammadAli-eg7vd]

There are real lovely people who are in NHS roles & they deserve to be in those roles & they are the ones who really care about people, also there are people within the NHS who are abusing patients & killing them💯

[@SilentRunningRedux]

All are human beings. Human beings are transactional and in so many ways fallible…. And so is the software they write, Bd thesiftware that AI now writes “on its own”… inheriting human foibles after a fashion. I’m glad I do not have terribly long to live.

[@evh22]

Disgraceful

[@thomasbland5450]

Which bit?

[@Energyflash1979]

Its been agreed years ago by medical experts across Europe that a 4% increase in healthcare investment each year is necessary to make it sustainable. The maximum it has ever increased to is 1.2% during the Tories. Government must heavily invest now and to make it cheaper they should end the private companies doubling their fees every time thry smell desperation.

[@sdmr3506]

Give people the choice to opt out of the NHS and go fully private if they want. Those who prefer the NHS can continue contributing, but like a pay-per-mile system, it’s only fair that you pay for what you use. If someone’s lifestyle choices, like non-genetic obesity, contribute to worsening their health, they should pay more. It’s simple.

[@busterbuster1641]

Conflicted between my feelings about this being a heartfelt and powerful speech, vs Starmer being a liar and red-tory.

[@Mellowcanuck33]

Modernize does NOT mean privatize. Profit before patient is IDIOTIC.

[@HA05GER]

At least someone in the government has made the link between sickness and the nhs. People get healthy peoplego to work its so bloody simple.

[@markb1487]

What he means,is that its needs privatised,,,pay for care or die,,,he's talking about the people,,not the NHS...Its brilliant, simple,,ask the Americans..

[@YllaStar95970]

Sounds like the Budget is going to be a humdinger.🙉

[@CurseOfDaSmurf]

I agree with a great deal of this actually. So much money is wasted, there is so much unnecessary beaurocracy that is designed to funnel money out, CEOs that skim from the top, pharmaceutical companies that over charge just because its what you did under the tories. Exploit exploit exploit. This needs to change. If more money is put into the NHS, more money will just go straight to the top. I also think he has proven the direction he wants to take, agreeing to the terms set by the doctors to help them come back to work and be paid properly for it. If you disagree with that, you simply hate britain, there is no ifs and or buts about that.

[@josephf5036]

I blame mainly brexit and covid for these delays. Previously before 2016 Urology routine patients would have appointments in 8 weeks and treatment in 18 weeks. After 2017 appointments jumped to 18 weeks and treatment to 40 weeks. When covid it in February 2020 until now appointments on 52 weeks and surgery before 70 weeks!

[@lestrem11]

Says Starmer after cancelling ALL new building of hospitals. It appears he has gone mad. He reminds me of Truss more each day.

[@krob2327]

Just like truss he’s insane yet unlike truss nobody in the media will say it

[@joepiekl]

Ah, the old "technology will fix it" solution. The last bastion of someone who is refusing to do what will actually solve things (i.e. properly fund a public service). Along with "we'll improve the NHS by cutting waste." Hope I'm wrong.

[@ME-gs6yn]

He’s about to privatise it…

[@ME-gs6yn]

@@sureshot1988 I guess it’s an opinion born out of fear given that his health secretary has spoken on his own ambitions of privatisation and that I wouldn’t trust Starmer as far as I could throw him. He’s shown himself to be a deeply dishonest politician and I wouldn’t be surprised if it results in “some really tough choices” those choices being privatisation of our remaining national institutions

[@SammyInnit]

​@@sureshot1988Streeting has mentioned using the private sector multiple times.

[@boogaloo4640]

Meanwhile, many GPs are making it increasingly difficult to get appointments

[@krob2327]

GPs are a cancer

[@Matt-ou7tu]

The 2010's were a lost decade for the NHS due to Austerity, so you know what we're going to do, we're going to enact more austerity!

[@Blahblahblahworlds]

He's so boring. Got him in 1.5 X and he's still monotonous.