Boris Johnson press conference: PM to address nation as Covid crisis puts NHS on brink

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info

Giving a press conference from Downing Street Mr Johnson will outline his plan to help the health service get on top of the backlog created by 18 months of Covid.

Millions of routine appointments and operations have been cancelled since March 2020 as NHS trusts risked being overwhelmed by coronavirus cases.

Over half a million Covid patients have been admitted to hospital since March 2020, and on one day alone in January 2021, over 34,000 patients were in hospital.

As a result, waiting lists are now at a record high with 5.5 million people in England awaiting treatment.

There are fears the number is set to rise even further and could hit as high as 14 million by next autumn.

Officials have warned the pandemic has now changed the NHS “for the foreseeable future” and extra funding is now needed to help the health service get on top of the backlog.

This afternoon Mr Johnson will set out his plans to raise extra money for the NHS as well as to solve the social care crisis which has been exacerbated by Covid.

Speaking ahead of his press conference, Mr Johnson said: “The NHS is the pride of our United Kingdom, but it has been put under enormous strain by the pandemic.

“We cannot expect it to recover alone.

“We must act now to ensure the health and care system has the long term funding it needs to continue fighting Covid and start tackling the backlogs, and end the injustice of catastrophic costs for social care.

“My Government will not duck the tough decisions needed to get NHS patients the treatment they need and to fix our broken social care system.”

More to follow…

Source: Read Full Article