A “decade of neglect” under the Conservatives has left the NHS unable to tackle the huge backlog of care as a record seven million people await treatment, according to a damning new report.
The major study by the King’s Fund think tank said the failure to fund the NHS adequately or get to grips with staffing crisis meant the health service was not able to meet the amount of surgery required.
“Though Covid certainly exacerbated the crisis in the NHS and social care, we are ultimately paying the price for a decade of neglect,” said the King’s Fund chief executive, Richard Murray.
