The Health Secretary Wes Streeting has vowed on Tuesday that he will put NHS workers “on the front line, not the picket line” and the Labour government will rebuild hospitals.
Streeting said that the Tories had “no funding” to end the 18 months of NHS industrial action, in September junior doctors in England voted to accept a pay deal worth 22.3% over two years with the government.
The Chancellor Rachel Reeves said during her Autumn Budget that in real terms Labour will increase in real terms the day-to-day spending for the NHS since 2010.
Labour will provide £22.6 billion for the NHS with a further £3.1 billion in capital investment to turn around the health service.
Streeting said, “What’s more, the previous health secretary hadn’t met the resident doctors since March. They’d given up even attempting to end the strikes.
“Remember that this winter – for all the challenges the NHS will face – this will be the first winter in three years where NHS staff are on the front line, not the picket line.
“That’s the difference a Labour Budget makes.
“I was told that GPs would be qualifying this year with no jobs to go into. This Government found the funding and we’re hiring an extra 1,000 GPs this year.”
James Wild, Conservative MP for North West Norfolk, asked will the Budget plans “swiftly” rebuild hospitals which were built using RAAC.
The Health Secretary said, “That is a commitment that we will make, and we have made indeed, and a commitment we will keep.”
