NHS should act as 'engine of local economic growth'

THE NHS has an “important role to play” when it comes to getting patients off waiting lists and back to work, and should also act “as an engine of local economic growth”, according to the UK Health Secretary.

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It comes as Wes Streeting announced a new pilot scheme which will aim to recruit an extra 1,000 NHS staff from areas worst affected by unemployment.

Mr Streeting was in Blackpool on Wednesday to deliver a speech unveiling plans to divert more than £2 billion in NHS spending to working class communities.

He also announced changes to the NHS App, with new features that will aim to give patients access to more information and tackle what he described as “one of the starkest health inequalities”.