This weekend, I started my newsletter and was writing about what was happening with physician associates in the NHS and what might happen next. But as I wrote, I realised there were other things - wider issues - I wanted to mention today too. Sometimes you just have to go with it, donāt you? So today Iāve decided instead to write about what might happen to the NHS in 2025. Please bear in mind that the opinions Iāll offer today are simply my own speculation. Itās educated speculation, based on keeping my ear to the ground every day, reading thousands of articles and reports and having a shedload of conversations about whatās going on, but itās speculation nonetheless.
In short, Iām pretty worried about this new government and what theyāre offering to the public. When you stand back and look at what theyāve done so far, itās not been particularly impressive. Thereās been no major policy changes to deliver the immediate change to peoplesā lives and living standards that is desperately needed. The UK needs a boost, an injection of energy and momentum, and this government hasn't created that movement forward. In fact, it feels like weāre in a collective slump, and that slump is led by our ministers. I donāt get the impression theyāre engulfed in the weight of the challenges that the UK faces, nor do I get the sense theyāre passionate about their respective departments. Quite often, I donāt even feel like they know what theyāre talking about; theyāre dismissive of problems, or underplay their importance, or even go on the attack when confronted with the urgency of a situation. Wes Streeting is, of course, the minister to whom I pay closest attention, and he is particularly problematic in this regard. He spends an inordinate amount of time going to national media outlets to attack trade unions or healthcare professionals, time in which he could be sitting down with them and having a grown-up conversation.
We were told by Keir Starmer that we were going to get change, and we havenāt really seen that change, have we? In fact, at this point, āchangeā seems to be little more than a campaign slogan enthusiastically printed onto thousands of now faded red placards, and then abandoned as soon as they made it into Number Ten. But I think, six months into their premiership, it would be helpful to look beyond the general āfeelā of their leadership, and consider what could be coming down the track for the NHS during 2025. So... here goes!
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