Labour right to hone in on NHS waiting lists but the issue is complex - The Yorkshire Post says

The Government has not helped itself as a result of its inadequate response and there will be little surprise if the chaotic scenes of last Christmas with ambulances queuing up with patients are repeated again this year.

NHS England data published last week showed a slight drop in the overall NHS waiting list for treatment, to 7.71 million treatments waiting to be carried out at the end of October, relating to 6.44 million patients.

Labour’s promise of a “serious reduction” in the number of people on NHS waiting lists after its first five years in government is to be welcomed.

But the Labour Party cannot fall into the trap of tinkering around the edges of what are clearly underlying issues.

Yes, there is a strong case for better funding for the NHS but with an ageing population no government can afford to continually throw more money at the health service.

The bigger picture needs to be considered. How can the number of people needing access to the NHS be reduced?

Prevention is better than the cure and in order to prevent people from suffering health issues there needs to be far greater emphasis on promoting healthier lifestyles.

That is why leisure centres and sports clubs cannot be allowed to become victims of council budget pressures.

There is also the obvious need for social care reform. Care in the community would free up much needed capacity within the NHS.