In his first major speech since the election, Cameron reiterated the Conservative government’s commitment to universal free healthcare.
‘There is nothing that embodies the spirit of one nation coming together – nothing that working people depend on more – than the NHS,’ he said.
‘Our commitment is to free healthcare for everyone – wherever you are and whenever you need it.
‘So I believe that together – by sticking to the plan – we can become the first country in the world to deliver a truly seven-day NHS.’
The prime minister said it was a ‘shocking fact’ that deaths rates for patients admitted to hospital on a Sunday were as much as 16% higher than those admitted on a Wednesday. He noted that the bulk of seriously ill patients tended to be admitted at the weekend when hospitals were least well equipped to handle them.
Shifting the NHS on to a seven-day basis would make the service safer and help save lives, Cameron said.
He stressed that this did not mean staff had to work longer, but that there should be a more flexible approach to work patterns.
Responding to the prime minister’s speech, Nigel Edwards, chief executive of the Nuffield Trust, said it was right to aspire towards a seven-day NHS.
‘Whether the government will provide the funding available to achieve this aspiration is a key question though – the extra £8bn it has pledged by the end of 2020/21 will be enough to keep existing services running but little else,’ he said.
Edwards added that the government should be under ‘no illusion’ about what the shift to seven-day working would mean.
‘It will mean significant changes to the way services are run across the country, and it will also require recruiting a critical mass of specialist staff.
‘Making seven-day working a reality may also mean closures or mergers of local services, such as emergency surgery or maternity units. So, this will not only cost additional money beyond the £8bn but it will also require political bravery.’
