Sir Keir Starmer said “immediate action” is needed to deal with the long waits for hospital treatment as well as diagnostic scans and tests.
Known as the Elective Reform Plan, NHS England has set out a whole system approach with the goal of hitting the 18-week referral to treatment target by 2029.
The target is for 92 per cent of patients to wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment in non-urgent cases by the end of the parliament.
As NHS England unveils its new plan to tackle waiting times, Sir Keir spoke with the Telegraph & Argus about how the Government hopes to improve patients’ lives in Bradford district.
“With hospital waiting lists at a record high, we’ve got to take immediate action to get to grips with it and bring those waiting lists down which is what we’re doing,” said Sir Keir.
“What that means for each area – and I’ll come to Bradford with an example – is, among other things, community diagnostic centres.
“These are centres where the GP can send the individual straight to the diagnostic centre, no need to go to the hospital first, to have scans, tests done.
“We’re going to make sure the tests and consultations can be done on the same day so people don’t have to go twice and the centres are going to be open seven days a week, 12 hours a day.
“The second thing is we’re developing the NHS app so they can get more information backwards and forwards so if you’re in Bradford and need information about your appointment it will be much easier to manage. And then using technology such as AI to speed up the waiting list.
“For the diagnostic centre, the one in Bradford is in Eccleshill and that will be open seven days a week, 12 hours a day, so if you’re in the Bradford area it’s going to make it much easier to get your scan or test.
“People want it done more quickly. You don’t have to get time off work, they can go at their convenience.”
Sir Keir described it as “much needed” and said it “will have a very important, positive impact on healthcare in Bradford and much needed”.
Celebrations as the Eccleshill Community Diagnostics Centre opened in January 2024 (Image: UGC) It comes after new statistics showed three constituencies in Bradford are among the worst affected areas for life expectancy and health inequalities.
Bradford East, Bradford West and Bradford South – all Labour-held constituencies – rank in the lowest 10 per cent of all UK constituency areas, Office for National Statistics (ONS) data suggests.
Health Equals, a coalition of 27 organisations across different sectors including Mind, the British Red Cross, Citizens Advice, Shelter, Crisis, People’s Health Trust and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, has called on the Government to prioritise the essential building blocks of health.
This could come in the form of homes that are warm and safe, to stable jobs, clean air, neighbourhoods with green space, and social connections.
“We have to tackle that deprivation,” said the Prime Minister.
“Bradford is a fantastic city, huge history, vibrant – I was at Leeds University, I know Bradford well – and it’s the City of Culture this year.
“In order to deal with that deprivation we need to make sure people are better off. We talk about growing the economy. There’s a local element to that, I was up in Bradford with the leader of the Council not so long ago and that potential for some of the development in the city centre and how that can drive wages, jobs.
“We do need to deal with health because deprivation and health are often linked, particularly where people can’t get back to work and they’re waiting on a waiting list or for something to happen. All those things need to happen at the same time.
“Bradford is a really important city and it’s got great potential to work with local representatives, businesses, to deliver that for the people of Bradford.”
The launch of Bradford’s year as UK City of Culture earlier this month (Image: David Levene) The Prime Minister also sent his congratulations to the district ahead of Bradford’s year in the spotlight as UK City of Culture.
Sharing what he hopes the prestigious title will bring to Bradford, Sir Keir said: “This is really significant for Bradford because if you look elsewhere around the country, where there’s been a City of Culture there’s been a real legacy afterwards of projects, initiatives, buildings. This is good for Bradford this year but good for many years to come.
“The examples of previous cities of culture there’s a strong legacy that comes out of it and that’s much needed, much deserved, and a true reflection of the importance of Bradford.”