- Health Secretary Wes Streeting said he would consider a greater role for the private sector in the NHS to tackle waiting lists, which currently affect 7.39 million people.
- Streeting stated he would not be bound by “outdated ideological battles” and that it would be “foolish to turn away” from private healthcare, emphasising that treatment remains free at the point of use.
- He argued that utilising private sector capacity does not contradict NHS principles and is essential to provide timely care, drawing from his personal experience with cancer treatment.
- His comments are expected to spark controversy among Labour MPs on the left, with concerns about expanding the private sector's role in healthcare.
- The government stated that previous partnerships with the private sector have delivered more than 500,000 treatments, and the Patients Association welcomed the potential for increased private sector involvement to address the NHS backlog.
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