CARE CRISIS
Theresa May apologises over cancelled NHS operations as Jeremy Hunt appears to admit hospitals are in a ‘winter crisis’
The PM visited a hospital in Surrey to thank doctors and nurses
THERESA MAY today apologised for delays to the NHS - admitting it is "difficult, frustrating and disappointing" for patients.
The PM's comments came as Jeremy Hunt appeared to admit there is a "crisis" in the health service with thousands of operations cancelled.
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Mrs May visited Frimley Park Hospital in Surrey to thank doctors and convince voters she is in control of the situation.
Recent developments in the NHS include:
- Around 50,000 operations scheduled for this month have been postponed
- Nearly 17,000 patients had to wait more than 30 minutes to be seen by doctors in A&E last week
- The 111 service got 480,000 calls, up 21 per cent to the highest level EVER
- Across all hospitals, 93.5 per cent of beds were filled on New Year's Eve - with 85 per cent considered the maximum safe limit
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Asked if she would say sorry to patients affected by the squeeze on conditions, the Prime Minister replied: "I know it's difficult, I know it's frustrating, I know it's disappointing for people, and I apologise.
"I recognise that it's difficult for people who are facing delays.
"I recognise that it's difficult if somebody is delayed on their admission to hospital or if somebody has an operation postponed and we will hope to ensure that those operations can be reinstated as soon as possible."
She thanked A&E workers at the hospital, which was 99.8 per cent full during the Christmas period.
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Ministers have insisted the NHS is not in crisis this winter, saying they have cancelled non-urgent operations in advance to reduce the risk of last-minute delays.
But the Health Secretary was accused of accidentally admitting there is a crisis when he hit back at criticism from Tony Blair this morning.
Mr Hunt said, "Tony Blair's memory is as selective in office as out of office: does he not remember his own regular NHS winter crises?
"Perhaps he was too focused on joining the euro to give his full attention to the NHS..."
Last night he admitted the NHS needs a ten-year plan to fix its current problems.
Shadow health minister Justin Madders responded: "After coming out of hiding to offer a half-hearted apology yesterday, Jeremy Hunt has inadvertently admitted that there is a winter crisis.
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"Will his next stage on this journey of self-discovery include a realisation that he has been Health Secretary for the past five years and might therefore bear some responsibility for the current crisis?”
New stats published today showed that ambulance delays at A&E have reached their worst level of the winter.
In the week between Christmas and New Year, 4,734 patients needing emergency care had to wait more than an hour to get it.
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