NHS needs to be key focus for Conservative leader candidates, says RCP

The Royal College of Physicians has called on candidates for the Conservative leadership contest to ensure that the NHS and social care remain a central focus for government.

It said that when the Conservative party was elected in 2019 it marked out the NHS as one of its key priorities and with waiting lists hitting a record 6.5 million post pandemic, this must be a priority for the next prime minister.

RCP president Sir Andrew Goddard said: “Equal focus must also be given to reducing pressures on primary and urgent and emergency care, both of which are facing their highest ever demand. Both will require an expansion of the NHS and social care workforce, including through increased medical school and clinical training places.

“Now is also a critical moment in our efforts to tackle health inequality. Conservative MPs considering standing to be leadership candidates will also need to set out clear cross-government plans to reduce the gap in healthy life expectancy between the most and least deprived communities as this worryingly continues to widen. The RCP has long called for an explicit cross-government strategy to reduce health inequalities.”

Little mention of NHS in candidate speeches

Candidates will now need the support of at least 20 Conservative MPs to progress to the first voting round. These rounds of voting will continue until only two candidates are left. The winner will be chosen by Conservative MPs via postal vote and will be announced on 5 September.

So far, candidate’s campaign launch speeches have made little mention of the NHS and the pressures it currently faces.

Labour Shadow Health & Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, said that after 12 years of Conservative government there are huge ambulance delays and 27 hour waits in A&E. Yet, conservative leadership candidates have nothing to say about the crisis in our NHS. Meanwhile, patients are waiting longer than is safe. Lives are being lost.

Commentators are now asking for candidates to be pressed on their plans for the NHS and the public sector overall, in the light of their declared passion for tax cuts.

Sir Andrew Goddard added: “The challenges facing the health and care service remain as significant as they were a year ago. The nation clearly faces spending pressures but investing in the health of the nation is a smart investment to make.”