Wes Streeting does not seem to understand the complexity of healthcare funding. League tables will exacerbate regional differences rather than abolish them (Norfolk hospital worst in country as NHS league tables reintroduced, 9 September). The problems are not unknown but, sadly for this government, will not be solved in the next four years. It should not be a surprise, especially for Mr Streeting, that the NHS cannot function efficiently until social care is fixed.
There is a massive shortage of staff in all specialities, which take 10 to 15 years to get from university to skilled professional. This leads to a reliance on locum and agency staff. The hospitals at the bottom of the tables will have the highest usage of them, reducing quality of care at a higher cost. Increasing the use of private clinics simply loses staff from the NHS.
