Responding to Keir Starmer’s speech on Lord Darzi’s review of the state of the NHS, co-leader of the Green Party, Adrian Ramsay MP, said:
“The Darzi review pulls no punches: the NHS has been harmed by austerity, capital starvation, the disastrous 2012 Health and Social Care Act and the dire state of social care.
“It is therefore hugely disappointing to see Labour, like a string of previous Conservative and Labour governments, hooked on reform rather than investment.
“Starmer says there can be no money without reform. We say there can be no improvement to waiting times, cancer death rates, treatment for mental health – and many other struggling areas – without more money.
“We agree that we cannot ask working people to foot the bill through higher taxes. But it is fair to ask the super-rich to pay a little more through wealth taxes. This could generate billions towards the investment the NHS is crying out for.
“‘Reform’ has in the past been used as a stalking-horse for privatisation. The Green Party completely rejects privatisation and fragmentation of the NHS. Private companies are focused on creaming off profits which can result in degraded services and more people not getting the treatment they need from the NHS.
“We must avoid a two-tier health service where those who can afford to go private to get treated do, while those who can’t don’t. The NHS was designed to serve all free at the point of use and this must remain its core mission.”
“We welcome a focus on helping our nation back to health. This can help heal our NHS. But again, improving public health will require investment in those things which lead to improved physical and mental health such as quality housing, good jobs, infrastructure for active travel and healthy food. Greens have always supported working to improve health rather than just treating sickness.”
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