Health Secretary Wes Streeting gave a speech at the University of East London on Wednesday about NHS improvements and plans. He unveiled an NHS Intensive Recovery programme to tackle worst-performing hospitals, starting next month. The programme will target five trusts: North Cumbria Integrated Care, Mid and South Essex, Hull University Teaching Hospitals, Northern Lincolnshire and Goole, and East Kent Hospitals. Measures include sending in crack leadership teams, sacking leaders, merging organizations, and potentially breaking up trusts.
Multiple reports indicate positive NHS performance metrics under the Labour government. Public satisfaction with the NHS across England, Scotland, and Wales rose from 21% in 2024 to 26% in 2025. The NHS backlog decreased by 374,000 since Labour took over in July 2024. A&E waiting times last winter were the best in four years. Ambulance response times for heart attack and stroke victims were the best in five years. Major media reports show 2,000 extra GPs were delivered, exceeding the promised 1,000, along with extra mental health staff, NHS dentistry appointments, and £26bn in funding for the NHS in England.
Streeting warned that Reform UK poses an existential threat to the UK and wants to dismantle the NHS. He claimed Nigel Farage says he wants an insurance-based system for the NHS and is up for anything regarding its future. Streeting also stated that Reform UK fuels growing racism across the UK.
Patient empowerment initiatives include new payment feedback systems and appointment control. Streeting announced plans to give women the power to decide if hospitals receive full payment based on their treatment experience. If patients say no, about 10% of standard payment rates will be diverted to a local improvement fund. The trial will start with women and may expand to all patients later. Starting next month, patients will be given the power to decide if and when they have follow-up appointments.
Despite overall improvements, ongoing pressures persist at specific hospitals like Leighton Hospital in Crewe. The hospital faced intense pressure last week, with its emergency department full and 170 patients being cared for at one point. Additionally, 110 patients at Leighton Hospital were medically fit to leave but still occupying beds, compounding pressures on A&E.
Research findings highlight systemic challenges. Research by University College London's Global Business School for Health, based on views of 850 NHS leaders, found staff are exhausted and the system is running close to the line operationally. The British Social Attitudes survey of 3,400 people from England, Scotland, and Wales showed dissatisfaction is still at historically high levels, particularly for A&Es and dentistry. Just 16% of those polled in 2025 think the NHS will get better in the next five years, while 53% think it will get worse.
Political uncertainty surrounds Streeting's position as health secretary. He dodged questions about whether his position is safe amid reports of a potential cabinet reshuffle.