Ozva AdminWes Streeting has again criticized the British Medical Association (BMA) in a war of words with the doctors union, after the shadow health secretary called for increased NHS funding to coincide with a change of approach among GPs.
The BMA criticized Streeting for what it called “disappointing” comments after it used an interview with the Sunday Telegraph to accuse the union of being hostile to people in vital need. National Health Service reform efforts.
street had told the newspaper: “As we have committed to more staff, I cannot understand why the BMA is so hostile to the idea that with more staff there must be better standards for patients.
“Every time I point out the appalling state of access to primary care, where currently a record 2 million people wait over a month to see a GP, I am treated like some kind of heretic by the BMA, who seem to think any criticism. of patient access to primary care is in some ways an attack on GPS.”
In the interview, Streeting highlighted what he called a “something for nothing culture in the NHS” and accused the BMA of being out of touch.
A vote last month by GPs in England to cut main surgery hours from 9am to 5pm made doctors “look like they live on a different planet and, worst of all, they’re not thinking really in the best interests of the patients. Streeting said.
However, Dr Emma Runswick, vice chair of the BMA council, said the comments were “incredibly disappointing”.
She said: “Anger over that crisis must be directed squarely at the government and its failure to invest, not at those who work in the NHS or the unions that represent them.
“It wasn’t that long ago that Mr. Streeting and the Workforce they were applauding healthcare workers for their contributions during the pandemic, so to hear them now accusing staff of a ‘something for nothing’ culture and potentially supporting further pay cuts in real terms will leave many employees extremely concerned.”
The BMA accepted “that a strong workforce goes hand in hand with patient standards and that investment in the workforce is the only way to improve our NHS,” Runswick added.
“We very much hope that Mr Streeting will turn his attention to challenging this government to ensure that he will offer strong support to doctors, nurses and other NHS workers who are now suffering from unprecedented levels of burnout and exhaustion,” he said.
When asked about comments about Sky’s Sophy Ridge on the Sunday show, Streeting said: “I was responding in that interview with the Telegraph to the criticism that was leveled at me.
“Even though I announced the biggest NHS staff expansion in history, because I had the temerity to say that we should also expect better service for patients in return for that investment, because I think it’s unacceptable that people have to wait phone at 8am to get through to a GP, the BMA have treated me like something of a heretic.
“I understand the pressure doctors are under – they do a very difficult job in a very difficult context – but what I am saying is that if we are investing in the NHS, as the next Labor government will, we have to wait for better results for patients and ultimately it is my job to be the champion for patients.”
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