Today I visited Darent Valley Hospital and met with staff who are working hard to tackle the backlogs caused by the pandemic. Our elective recovery plan is supporting the NHS to slash waits of over 18 months, having already virtually eliminated waits of over two years.
It was great to speak with staff in A&E about the pressures they faced this winter. Last week we published a blueprint to help recover urgent and emergency care services, reduce waiting times, and improve patient experience.