Labour plans to clear NHS waiting lists within five years by using spare capacity in private sector

LABOUR plans to clear NHS waiting lists within five years by using spare capacity in the private sector.

It would pay for patients to attend plush medical centres while also freeing evening and weekends to create 40,000 extra appointments, scans and operations every week.

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Sir Keir Starmer’s election pledge to stop anyone waiting more than 18 weeks for treatment by 2029 comes after Rishi Sunak conceded earlier this year that he had not made enough progress on healthcare.

There are currently 7.5million people waiting for routine help such as a knee or hip operation.

And shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting told the BBC he's been talking to Specsavers about possible help for 600,000 people waiting for eye care treatment saying they had they had the staff and kit to help.

But the Labour leader said getting the NHS back on its feet was a “personal” mission for him.

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His mum Josephine, who died in 2015, was a nurse and his wife Victoria also works for the NHS.

Sir Keir went on: “The first step of my Labour government will be to cut NHS waiting lists, clearing the Tory backlog.

“We will roll up our sleeves to work with NHS staff, not against them. We will stop the anxiety of wondering if an ambulance will come on time. We will bring back the family doctor.

“The NHS has been there for my family when we needed it. I’ll make sure it’s there for everyone.”

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Labour will point out that after it won power in 1997, maximum waiting times were cut from 18 months to 18 weeks.

But Health Secretary Victoria Atkins said the policy was just more “copy and paste” politics from Labour.

She said: “The NHS has faced unprecedented challenges which it can only overcome if supported by a strong economy.

“That is why the Conservatives have a clear plan and will take bold action to strengthen the economy and continue to deliver the technology and innovation the NHS needs to keep cutting waiting lists.

“The fact is that under the Conservatives in England waiting lists have fallen, but in Labour-run Wales waiting lists are going up.”