On the 12th September, Lord Darzi, who is a surgeon and a former health minister, published an independent investigation of the NHS, which concluded that the health service is in a “critical condition”.
Lord Darzi calls NHS staff the beating heart of the NHS, and recognises their extraordinary depth of clinical talent, skill, and commitment to NHS values. But he goes onto say that the structure of the NHS must be reformed, in order to overcome its challenges, in particular, the long waiting times.
Lord Darzi also says:
- people are struggling to see their GP
- treatment waiting times contribute to people being unable to work
- A&E is in an “awful state”
- patients are not properly aware of their choices regarding their care
The report does not make specific recommendations to improve patient care immediately. However, it sets out some next steps to repair the NHS, one of which is to make a priority of engaging with, and empowering patients.
To view a summary of the report, please go to this page on the Department of Health and Social Care’s website Summary letter from Lord Darzi
