Responding to Lord Ara Darzi’s independent investigation of the NHS in England, Professor Philip Banfield, BMA council chair, said:
“The previous government gaslit doctors and refused to acknowledge the damage caused by years of underinvestment. The BMA has tirelessly spoken out about the challenges our health service faces, particularly regarding staff shortages, so one might expect that Lord Darzi's review, which echoes many of the Association’s concerns, would be met with a sense of relief—finally, someone understands. While the findings are unsurprising, seeing this report so clearly call attention to just how broken our beloved NHS has become, with the devastating impact on our patients, is deeply sobering.
“It’s no secret that the newly elected government inherited an NHS widely wrecked from year upon year of relative underinvestment – especially in general practice. It is imperative that the Health Secretary trusts doctors and experts, fully appreciates the gravity of the situation, and takes action swiftly. Action that engages GPs and funds them properly as the expert gatekeepers to the rest of the healthcare system; action that involves reversing previous poor policy decisions which have led to avoidable and undesirable working conditions; action that reverses the exodus of highly skilled doctors who feel undervalued and overworked. This country has not trained enough doctors to meet patient demand: the current workforce crisis was inevitable.
“A decade and more of mismanagement has erased the trust and goodwill of many frontline staff. Lord Darzi’s report points out that it is both possible and crucial that waiting times are improved quickly but without a workforce, there is no health service. We have seen the constructive dismissal of general practice yet this new government has the opportunity to value doctors and save our NHS through immediate engagement and investment in GP contracts.
"This must be balanced with continued progress on restoring doctors’ pay, preventing the loss of junior doctors to other countries that truly value their contributions and removing absurd pension rules that discourage senior doctors from taking on the extra shifts needed to reduce waiting lists: doctors want to be treating patients. The BMA has been at the forefront of calling for the reform our health service needs, addressing its crippling staff shortages and enabling doctors’ skills and expertise to be utilised to their full.
“The issues in secondary care cannot be fixed without addressing the crisis in general practice, driven by an insufficient supply of GPs and the growing demand from patients returning repeatedly while awaiting secondary treatment. The chronic underfunding of primary care undermines continuity of care and leaves GPs across England with no choice but to participate in the collective action we’re now witnessing. One of this government’s key manifesto promises was to bring back the family doctor. It's time to listen to GPs and collaborate with them to make this a reality.
“The country is getting sicker, with the most disadvantaged disproportionately affected; in parallel, we need investment in social care, public health and illness prevention to reverse the stark health inequalities outlined in the report. The government is right to call the needed reform 'radical’. Without radical action, the NHS won’t survive. As pointed out by Lord Darzi, ‘we cannot afford not to have the NHS’.”
"Engaging with doctors is essential, valuing the staff tasked with resuscitating the NHS is critical, but an honest conversation with the public about what money goes where, what will and will not be provided, and what will be rationed until additional resources are made available, is imperative."
Notes to editors
The BMA is a professional association and trade union representing and negotiating on behalf of all doctors in the UK. A leading voice advocating for outstanding health care and a healthy population. An association providing members with excellent individual services and support throughout their lives.