Learn from mistakes of the pandemic and ensure NHS is prepared for difficult winter - The Yorkshire Post says

With the UK facing a “public health emergency”, it is paramount that support measures are put in place to help the country through what is likely to be a long and hard winter.

When the confederation’s chief executive says that “the country is facing a humanitarian crisis” - it is a sobering reminder of the impact of the cost of living crisis. Surging costs will leave people choosing between heating their homes and eating.

The number of annual deaths associated with cold homes - estimated at 10,000 - will likely rise due to fuel poverty.

It will be the elderly and poor that bare the brunt of the energy crisis unless robust policies are put in place before the clouds roll in.

There is also likely to be added pressure on an already overwhelmed health service. Unlike the early days of the pandemic, where the NHS was overrun, the Government will have no excuses if it is found wanting.

No one could have really predicted how the Covid crisis would play out. But the warning signs of the energy crisis have been evident for several months now. This intervention by NHS bosses being the latest reminder of the dangers the country faces heading into the winter.

The fact that Tory leadership frontrunner Liz Truss once called for people to be charged to see their GP, back in 2009, will be a concern for many people.

If she does assume the office of Prime Minister, Ms Truss must win the trust of the wider British electorate by ensuring the NHS is equipped to deal with the impending winter crisis.

We saw just how crucial a role the NHS played in tackling the Covid crisis, despite starting on the back foot. Intervention is needed to ensure it doesn’t head into the winter with a similar disadvantage.