NHS reforms have 'chilling echoes of HS2 failures'

Plans to reform the NHS have “chilling echoes” of the failures around HS2, MPs have said as they warn Labour is at “serious risk” of not meeting its pledge to cut waiting lists.

- CAITLIN DOHERTY

The public accounts committee (PAC) warned that “poor practices” seen in the troubled project to build the high-speed rail link were being replicated in the health service and could lead to “wasted effort” to overhaul the NHS.

HS2 has been described by politicians as an “appalling mess” after billions of pounds of taxpayers’ money were wasted amid years-long delays.

The criticism came as MPs warned that initiatives to reduce waiting times for pre-planned care in England have not met their goals under “extremely variable” management of programmes.

MPs on the cross-party committee highlighted how billions have been spent to transform diagnostics and surgical services, yet the pace of change is still “too slow”.

The report also highlights plans to axe NHS England and absorb its functions into the Department of Health and Social Care, while reducing local health management teams, with the health department set to take responsibility for managing the initiatives to cut waiting lists.

“Unless it gets a grip on the programmes, there is a serious risk that it will not meet its target for 92 per cent of the waiting list to be treated within 18 weeks by 2029,” MPs wrote. Sir Keir Starmer's plan for change pledged that by July 2029, 92 per cent of patients will be seen within 18 weeks for routine hospital treatment such as hip and knee replacements.