Only Tony Blair’s government has in recent times put significantly more money into the NHS. Not all the investment and changes worked, but for a few years patients got better treatment, and staff too. But since 2010 the NHS’s social capital has been squandered and the workforce shredded and demoralised.
There are three elephants in the House of Commons: Brexit, social care, and a workforce plan. They rub shoulders, but we’re in the workforce, so let’s consider that.
Governments keep on postponing a long-term Workforce Plan. But even to kick a can down the road you need a road map. Where are we heading? As the peasant leaning on his hoe said to the motorist asking for directions, ‘I wouldn’t start from here’.