The Thin End

After a decade of austerity, the Tories are now cynically throwing spending pledges around like confetti. Today they are pledging to increase the number of GPs.  They have made such pledges before and have failed to meet them.    Why believe them now? Staff shortages in the NHS are a significant factor in missing targets and increasing waiting times and lists.  Too many people are waiting too long for an appointment to see their GP.  Too many practices are reliant on locum supply. in 10 years the NHS will have a shortfall of 108,000 full-time equivalent nurses.  A recent report concluded that "on current trends", in 10 years the NHS will have a shortfall of 108,000 full-time equivalent nurses.   Filling that gap would require a massive 5,000 additional nurses in training each year.  It will also need an equivalent number of foreign nurses to be recruited - and this at a time when the uncertainty of Brexit has led to a loss of staff. Ther...