NHS crisis: Dr Hilary Jones reads out messages from doctors

An emergency summit to tackle the crisis in the NHS should be convened immediately, a world-leading cancer specialist said on Monday night.

Professor Karol Sikora called for a “national assembly” of experts from the public and private sector to come up with a long-term plan to “drag the NHS out of the mud”.

He told the Express: “There needs to be a fundamental rethink. Thousands of patients are being failed. More of the same is simply not an option.”

The NHS has hit its lowest ebb as it marks its 75th year – with strikes, staff shortages, rock bottom morale and record waiting lists.

Public satisfaction has plunged to a record low of just 29 percent.

But other long-term issues have been chipping away at the foundations for years, says think tank the Nuffield Trust.

Chief executive Nigel Edwards blamed a failure to invest in buildings, equipment, staff and social care – all while the population grew older and sicker.

Mr Edwards added: “The desperate need to squeeze more work out of the NHS to bring down record waiting lists falls on the shoulders of an already exhausted and demoralised staff.”

Some 7.22 million were waiting to start routine hospital treatment in February, the highest total since records began in 2007. Ambulance response times have also got longer, including for life-threatening illnesses and injuries. Around one in 10 wait more than 12 hours for A&E.

Over 200,000 appointments and operations were postponed during the most recent junior doctors strike with cancellations across all strikes so far reaching 500,000.

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The NHS, founded in 1948 to give free care for all at the point of use from the cradle to the grave, is Europe’s biggest employer but over 100,000 key posts including doctors and nurses are unfilled.

GP David Unwin, of Southport, Merseyside, said: “We thought it was bad before Covid. We hung on through the pandemic and once it was over we hoped to get back to normal.

“Very many colleagues younger than myself have become demoralised and left the NHS so that now, aged 64, I am the oldest GP still seeing patients in the area. We need more doctors, not fewer, if the NHS is to survive.”

The Department of Health and Social Care said: “We have prioritised health and social care services with up to £14.1billion over the next two years, on top of record funding.”

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