According to Lord Ara Darzi, former health minister, the NHS is in serious trouble, as detailed in his second report published this month (Independent Investigation of the NHS in England). 

Despite the difficulties, NHS staff are striving to manage the “enormous challenges” they face. The report highlights significant health inequalities across the country but reassures that the NHS’s “vital signs” remain positive.

Lord Darzi emphasises that repairing the NHS will take years rather than months. Key areas of focus include re-engaging staff and re-empowering patients. Harnessing the talents of NHS staff and enabling patients to take control of their care are crucial steps towards positive change.

The report also underscores the NHS’s role in boosting national prosperity by reducing waiting lists and helping people return to work. This theme is echoed in another newly published report, the IPPR’s cross party commission on health and prosperity labels the UK as the “sick man of Europe.” The report attributes this to rising long-term conditions, stagnating healthy life expectancy, increasing economic inactivity, a growing mental health crisis, and intensifying regional health inequalities.

To address these issues, the report proposes a “bold plan” to shift from merely intervening when people fall ill to fostering good health in all aspects of life, including work, school, and home. Part of this plan involves establishing neighbourhood health centres nationwide, serving as one-stop shops for diagnostics, primary care, mental health, and public health, with a strong focus on prevention.

Additionally, the report advocates for taxing health polluters such as tobacco, alcohol, and unhealthy food companies to raise £10 billion annually to fund new good health schemes