NHS Waiting List Reduction Questioned
Priscilla Alderson, professor emerita at University College London, has challenged the portrayal of a fall in NHS waiting lists as a government success. In a letter to the Guardian, she notes that NHS authorities paid providers £33 per patient to remove thousands from the lists, many of whom still have significant health needs. A survey of nearly 2,600 people in England found that 16% had used the private sector in the past year.
Immigration and NHS Staffing Crisis
Alderson criticizes what she calls 'dangerous xenophobia' in praising a record fall in immigration, pointing instead to the thousands of vacant NHS and care posts that urgently need to be filled by immigrants. She also highlights the absence of many overseas students, who previously helped fund universities and fostered international networks.
Privatisation Concerns Under Burnham-Streeting
Regarding Andy Burnham’s proposal to nationalise water, Alderson questions why he does not challenge the ongoing outsourcing, privatisation, and PFI plans within the NHS. She asks how long the NHS will survive under a 'Burnham-Streeting government,' referencing the current health secretary.
