labourpress:

Jonathan Ashworth, Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary, responding to NHS England Chief Executive Simon Stevens’ speech to the NHS Providers Conference, said:

“Simon Stevens has rightly set out in the clearest terms the stark implications of failing to give the NHS the funding it needs on the eve of its 70^th anniversary.

“Unless the Chancellor comes forward with an urgent and sustainable funding package, waiting lists will climb further to 5 million, and the 18 week target will potentially be permanently abandoned. Hospitals will fail to meet ambitions on staff retention and recruitment, while mental health services and cancer services will deteriorate.

“Theresa May simply cannot carry on ignoring the dismal consequences for patient care of refusing to properly fund the NHS. 

“Theresa May and Philip Hammond must now take these heavyweight warnings seriously and in the upcoming Budget finally provide the investment our NHS now desperately needs.”