Darzi Report: who is Lord Darzi, what is the Lord Darzi review and what does it mean for you?

• The Darzi review has revealed its findings today.
• The report has concluded that the NHS is in a ‘critical condition’.
• Findings from the Darzi report will inform the government’s 10 year plan to reform the NHS.
• Lord Darzi is an independent peer and consultant surgeon with 30 years’ experience in the NHS.

The Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said the NHS must “reform or die” during a speech which addressed key findings from the Lord Darzi report.

The Darzi review, which took just nine weeks to complete has investigated the current situation of the health service in England, concluding that it is in a “critical condition”.

Its findings will help inform the government’s 10-year plan to reform the NHS which has faced rising pressures following on from the Covid pandemic, with staff shortages, soaring demand and lengthy waiting lists for care. Here’s everything you need to know about what the Darzi report is and most importantly what it means for you.

Who is Lord Darzi?

Professor Ara Warkes Darzi, is a member of the House of Lords. He is Director of the Institute of Global Health Innovation at Imperial College London, the Paul Hamlyn Chair of Surgery at Imperial College London, and the Institute of Cancer Research and Executive Chair of the World Innovation Summit for Health in Qatar. He is also a Consultant Surgeon at Imperial College Hospital NHS Trust and the Royal Marsden NHS Trust and has over 30 years’ experience in the NHS.

Lord Darzi was knighted for his services to medicine and surgery in 2002 and was introduced into the House of Lords in 2007. His research explores achieving best surgical practice through innovation in surgery and enhancing patient safety and the quality of healthcare.

What is the Darzi review?

The Darzi review is an independent investigation of the NHS carried out by Lord Darzi, an independent peer and consultant surgeon who has 30 years’ experience working in the NHS.

Spanning 160 pages, Lord Darzi examined over 600 pieces of analysis from DHSC, NHS England and external organisations. He also brought together more than 70 organisations for an Expert Reference Group and conducted focus groups with NHS staff and patients as well as frontline visits.

Key findings from the report revealed the deterioration of the NHS over the last 15 years, with an increase in the number of people living with multiple long-term conditions.

It also highlighted the stark waiting list times patients faced, with queues to A&E more than doubling from 40 people on an evening in April 2009 to over 100 in April 2024 and one in 10 A&E patients now waiting 12 hours or more to be seen.

Cancer care has also been affected with no progress made in diagnosing cancer at stage one and two between 2013 and 2021, with the UK having higher cancer mortality rates than other countries.

It also highlighted the lasting damage that The Health and Social Care Act of 2012 did to NHS management capacity and capability, with the impact still “felt to this day”.

What will it mean for you?

The Darzi report will not lead to changes overnight, meaning patients will still face the same challenges accessing care for now. However, what was uncovered in the report will inform the government’s 10-year plan to reform the NHS.

Lord Darzi outlines that it took more than a decade for the NHS to get into this state and that it will take time to fix it, but he is confident that the NHS can turn things around like it has done previously.

What has Health Secretary Wes Streeting said?

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has addressed the findings of the Darzi report, confirming that they will “inform our 10-year plan to radically reform the NHS and get patients treated on time again.”

He continued: “The damage done to the NHS has been more than a decade in the making. We clearly have a long road ahead. But while the NHS is broken, it’s not beaten. We will turn the NHS around so it is there for you when you need it, once again.”

What do you think about the current state of the NHS? We’d love to hear from you, share your thoughts in the comment section.