Under the failed Conservative Government, the NHS is on its knees – with increasing waiting times for cancer treatment, GP services at breaking point, record waiting lists and record vacancies for healthcare workers.

This trend is evident locally in Harpenden and Berkhamsted, where local hospitals and GP services have struggled to meet the expected standards.

12 Consecutive Years of Worsening Cancer Treatment Waiting Times

Analysis by the Labour Party in Harpenden & Berkhamsted of data available on the My Planned Care NHS website reveals alarming waiting times for cancer treatments at local hospitals that far exceed the NHS standard that patients should begin treatment within eight weeks (62 days) of an urgent referral.

West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust:

• Breast cancer: 16 week waiting time for cancer treatment
• Bowel cancer: 36 week waiting time for cancer treatment

East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust:

• Breast cancer: 14 week waiting time for cancer treatment
• Bowel cancer: 36 week waiting time for cancer treatment

This reflects a broader national trend, where waiting times for cancer treatments have worsened every year for the past 12 years under the failed Conservative Government.

GP Services at Breaking Point

The situation is equally dire for GP services. The British Medical Association (BMA) has highlighted ongoing issues, including a shortage of GPs and increased demand, which have led to longer waiting times for appointments.

Despite government promises to recruit an additional 6,000 GPs by 2024, there has only been a net increase of 2,623 full-time equivalent doctors, far short of the target.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reports that many patients in England struggle to secure timely GP appointments. In Harpenden and Berkhamsted, patients face similar challenges, with significant delays in accessing primary care, exacerbated by staffing shortages and increased patient load.

Record Waiting Lists and Vacancies

Nationally, the NHS is grappling with record-high waiting lists, with over 7 million people waiting for treatment, the highest since records began.

The King’s Fund points out that the healthcare system is facing severe workforce shortages, with more than 100,000 vacancies across the NHS. The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) also reports that many nurses are considering leaving the profession due to poor working conditions and inadequate pay.

The Conservative government’s handling of the NHS has led to deteriorating service levels, impacting patients across the country, including those in Harpenden and Berkhamsted. Long waiting times for cancer treatments and GP appointments are symptoms of broader systemic failures.

As the crisis deepens, it becomes increasingly clear that significant policy changes and investments are necessary to restore the NHS to its former standard of care – only that can be delivered with a change of Government, this Thursday, 4 July.

 A Crisis in Dental Access

Getting an NHS dentist is increasingly a lottery and the consequences are dire. The most common reason children aged five to nine are admitted to hospital is to have rotting teeth removed.

Millions of people are unable to get the appointments they need and one in 10 are even attempting their own DIY dentistry.

Labour’s plan for an NHS Fit For The Future

To get the NHS back on its feet, Labour is committed to delivering:

• Faster NHS treatment delivering two million more appointments a year by paying NHS staff more to work evenings and weekends.
• Fewer cancer deaths by improving early diagnosis for cancer by doubling the number of NHS scanners.
• 700,000 more urgent dentist appointments.
• Fast access to mental health services by recruiting 8,500 new NHS mental health staff.
• Return of the family doctor by cutting red tape so that patients can see the same GP each appointment if they choose to.

Learn more on the Labour Party website.