Long waits for A&E, ambulances and GP appointments worrying for patients and Government - The Yorkshire Post says

That is hardly a surprise, but if the efficiency of such essential services can be taken as a symbol for the nation’s health at large, it is worth highlighting again.

The Government is seeking to address the wider issue with 10 Year Health Plan, expected to be published in the spring, and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has pledged that by July 2029, 92 per cent of patients would be seen within 18 weeks for pre-planned care such as hip and knee replacements.

Long-term thinking is necessary and laudable. However, it is naturally difficult for people to keep the faith that services will improve in the future when they are suffering in the present – and only a quarter of those who responded to the survey reported today were even aware of the Government’s plans. Illness doesn’t wait and the stark reality of sitting for hours in a crowded A&E department or having your health worsen while unable to see a doctor does nothing to convince that the NHS is getting better.

Thoughts must also be with its staff, whose workload – incidentally, a concern of 52 per cent of those surveyed - after an extremely busy festive period will remain intense.

Winter, of course, exacerbates such woes, and with a cold snap expected this weekend, the UK Health Security Agency has warned that it could put the elderly at risk of death. We all must take care and watch out for those who are vulnerable.