Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting slams GP waiting lists on Hemel Hempstead visit

Labour’s shadow health and social care secretary visited Hemel Hempstead’s Bennetts End GP Surgery on Friday (21 June).

He said: “Rishi Sunak failed to keep his promise to cut waiting lists. If he's given another five years in charge, he’ll fail again, the chaos in our NHS will continue, and waiting lists will hit 10 million.

“Labour will cut NHS waiting times with 40,000 extra appointments a week at evenings and weekends, paid for by clamping down on tax dodgers and non-doms.

“We will cut the red tape that ties up GPs time and bring back the family doctor, so patients can see the same GP each appointment. On 4 July, vote for change, vote for the NHS, vote Labour.”

Bennetts End Surgery has launched social prescribing, which involves health walks, pilates and yoga for elderly. At the practice there is also 12-week subsidised classes at the female only gym to get the overweight off diabetic medication.

In its manifesto the Labour Party claims it could reduce waiting lists by adding an extra 2 million operations, scans, and appointments in its first year in power.

One of Labour’s plans is to use ‘family doctors’ so that patients can see the same GP each appointment. Labour is also pledging to create a more modern booking system and guarantee face-to-face appointments to those who want them.

David Taylor, Labour’s candidate for Hemel Hempstead, said: “My priority as your MP will be to ensure that Hemel residents have timely access to medical treatment.

“Labour has a long-term plan for health in our country and to get the NHS back on its feet.”

In its manifesto the Conservative Party said it would invest £3.2 billion into the NHS. This would include updating the technology used at facilities to free up time for nurses and GPs.

The party, which is currently in power, has also promised to crease the number of nurses in the NHS by 92,000 and the number of doctors by 28,000 in comparison to 2023 staffing figures.