The Guardian view on Labour’s NHS reform: structural change while slashing waiting lists is a big ask | Editorial

Over the holidays, this column will explore next year’s urgent issues. Today, the battle over the government’s contradictory plans for the health serviceThe British government’s 10-year health plan is still some months off. So is the multi-year spending review that will set the parameters around funding. But the three themes around which Labour plans to build its NHS reforms are set. Each involves a change in emphasis: from treatment to prevention, hospital to community and analogue to digital.As health policy is devolved, these plans apply directly only in England. Their impact, though, will be UK-wide, since the largest health system is bound to influence the others, and what happens to the NHS is so crucial to the UK government. In 2025 – Labour’s first full calendar year in office since 2009 – there is arguably no area in which the party is more urgently in need of results.Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...