2023-01-07

The prime minister, health secretary and Treasury ministers are meeting health experts to help tackle crucial challenges facing the NHS in England.

Reports have emerged of patients spending days on trolleys because of shortages of beds in some hospitals.

Rishi Sunak has promised to cut long waiting times for routine operations within two years.

Labour says patients deserve "more than a talking shop" and the Lib Dems say it is "too little too late".

Representatives from the public and private sectors are attending Saturday's forum at Downing Street, alongside chief executives and clinical leaders of NHS organisations, local areas and councils from across the country, plus medical and social care experts.

Amanda Pritchard, chief executive of NHS England, and Sir Chris Whitty, chief medical officer for England, are also taking part in the meeting.

Senior doctors have said the NHS is on a knife-edge, with long waits for emergency care, routine operations, GP appointments and care for patients when they are discharged from hospital.

High levels of flu and Covid, a wave of strike action and a cost-of-living crisis are also putting huge pressure on the health service.