Sunak pledges fastest improvement of waiting times in NHS history

Speaking during a visit to County Durham, the Prime Minister pledged to fix ambulance delays and the crisis in A&E, though critics have said serious questions remain around the number of staff needed to improve NHS care.

As part of a new plan for improving urgent and emergency care, the Government has set goals that by March 2024 it would make sure 76 per cent of A&E patients will be dealt with in four hours and get to an average response time of 30 minutes for category 2 emergency calls such as heart attacks and strokes over the next year.

Mr Sunak said his plan meant there would be more beds, more ambulances, more staff and better social care and “if we can deliver on it, I think we will see – in fact I know we will see – the largest and fastest-ever improvement in emergency waiting times in the NHS’s history”.

He added: “That is the ambition of our plan that we’ve set out today … I feel really confident we can deliver it.”

Mr Sunak insisted he would “love” to give striking nurses large pay rises, but argued he cannot because he does not want to stoke a “vicious cycle” of inflation or increase taxes.

The Prime Minister is under growing pressure to end the wave of public sector strikes, with a fresh round of mass industrial action set to begin on tomorrow.

Up to half a million workers including teachers, train drivers and civil servants will start the walkouts before nurses and ambulance workers again walk out next week.

He argued it is “not an easy job” to balance many competing interests for Government funding, as he warned against further stoking inflation to bring down bills.

“I’ve got to get a grip of that for all of you, it’s the most important thing. If we don’t do that we won’t be able to afford anything in the future,” he said.

Wednesday will see the biggest day of industrial action in over a decade, when seven trade unions, also including university lecturers, bus drivers and security guards, walk out.

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has warned this could see up to 500,000 workers on strike as protests are also held across the country against the Government’s controversial plans for a new law on minimum service levels during strikes.

Yesterday firefighters and control room staff voted overwhelmingly to strike in a dispute over pay.

Members of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) backed walkouts by 88 per cent on a huge turnout of 73 per cent after earlier rejecting a 5 per cent pay offer.

The union said it was giving the Government and employers 10 days to make an improved offer before deciding its next move.

If they go ahead, the strikes will be the first nationwide fire strikes over pay since 2003.

TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said Wednesday will be a “really important day” for workers and members of the public to show support for those taking action to defend pay, jobs and services, as well as for the right to strike.

Downing Street urged unions to “step back” from the fresh wave of strikes, raising particular concerns about Wednesday’s action.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “We think the continuing discussions are the right approach and we’d like to see them continue.”