Tory health boss Victoria Atkins confronted by patient waiting years for back op

03 December 2023 , 10:18

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Tory health boss Victoria Atkins confronted by patient waiting years for back op

Health Secretary Victoria Atkins has apologised to a patient waiting for a back operation who said she "can't go on much longer like this".

Ms Atkins was confronted by a video message from Lynn on the BBC's 'Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg' programme, as she battled to defend the Government's efforts to curb spiralling NHS waiting lists.

Lynn told the top Tory: "I have been on the waiting list for back surgery and have been for over a year. I've been told the waiting list is years and I'm not likely to get the surgery any time soon.

"I'm restricted as to what I can do and I can't go on much longer like this. What are you going to do about the NHS waiting list?"

Health Secretary Victoria Atkins was challenged over spiralling NHS waiting lists

Ms Atkins, who was appointed in Rishi Sunak's reshuffle, said: "First of all, I'm so very sorry that she is suffering in pain like that. I want to help Lynn and everybody else in the country that is facing these waiting lists.

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"This is why, in fairness, the Prime Minister has made the waiting list one of his priorities." Presenter Laura Kuenssberg interjected to point out that waiting lists have risen since Mr Sunak made that commitment, despite more money and more staff.

There were a record 7.77 million waits for non-emergency care at the end of September, according to data from NHS England. The figure rose from 7.75 million in August.

Analysis by NHS England found that around one million people are waiting for more than one treatment, many of whom will be elderly patients waiting for things like hip and knee replacements.

Ms Atkins sought to heap blame on industrial action in the NHS for the long waits, despite her predecessor Steve Barclay's refusal to meet striking consultants. An end to the bitter pay dispute is now in sight after a deal was struck that will now go to members.

The new Health Secretary said she had a "really constructive" relationship with consultants and said she was keen to resolve the row with junior doctors, who are still in dispute with the Government.

The presenter also raised the case of Denise, in Suffolk, who turned to private healthcare as she was in too much pain to wait. "She took a bank loan and crowdfunded a new hip.

"She now worries she needs the other hip done but would have to sell her house to do that. Is that acceptable?"

Ms Atkins said: "Of course not, and this is why the PM has focused on waiting lists as I say and we are trying to get those down. We are making some progress, we have seen some of the longest waits virtually eliminated. But there is no easy answer to this."

Pressed on whether the Government would hit its targets before the election, she said: "We are looking to meet those targets but I need the consultants to pass this settlement we have put forward. I hope very much that doctors in training will be able to reach a settlement with us as well.

"If we've removed the threat of industrial from the NHS, then those people who, for example in October set of actions, we have 40,000 appointments being rescheduled each day. Then that stops and we are able to get on with the business of looking after people."

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Ms Atkins also admitted to using private healthcare once in the past to get a second opinion. She added: "I've use the NHS my entire life. I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes on the NHS and it has supported me every year of my life since."

Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson Sarah Olney accused the Government of "flying blind" into a fresh NHS winter crisis. She said: "This Conservative Government has already broken its promise on recruiting new GPs, now it looks likely that the promise to cut waiting lists will also be broken.

"Atkins couldn't provide any reassurance for patients stuck waiting for surgery and treatment. With no extra money for the NHS during the Autumn Statement, we're flying blind into another winter crisis and Atkins wouldn't even deny it."

Lizzy Buchan