Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Pippa Crerar and Denis Campbell

Streeting defends NHS use of private sector but says it must ‘pull its weight’

Wes Streeting said he wanted to take a ‘big bet on tech’ at the spending review to help improve productivity in the NHS
Wes Streeting said he wanted to take a ‘big bet on tech’ at the spending review to help improve productivity in the NHS Photograph: Sean Smith/The Guardian

Wes Streeting has defended the growing use of the private sector to help tackle long waiting lists for treatment but said providers must “pull their weight” and not take resources away from the NHS.

The health secretary, who has previously said “middle-class lefties” risked putting ideological purity ahead of patient care, said he would be “entirely pragmatic” about using spare capacity in the private sector.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.