Rishi Sunak admits he has failed to cut NHS waiting lists

Rishi Sunak has admitted the government has failed on a pledge to cut NHS waiting lists in England.

The prime minister said the government had "not made enough progress" but that industrial action in the health service "has had an impact".

Mr Sunak made the comments in an interview with TalkTV.

Cutting NHS waiting lists is one of five priorities Mr Sunak set out in January 2023, along with measures on the economy and illegal immigration.

At the time he said "NHS waiting lists will fall and people will get the care they need more quickly" but did not set a timeframe for achieving that.

Asked if his government has failed to achieve that pledge, Mr Sunak said: "Yes, we have."

The prime minister continued: "What I would say to people is that we've invested record amounts in the NHS - more doctors, more nurses, more scanners.

"All these things mean the NHS is doing more than it ever has but industrial action has had an impact."

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Source: BBC News, 5 February 2024