Starmer acknowledges England's nursing staff shortages concerns

Keir Starmer, the leader of the Labour Party, responded to a recent investigation by Channel 4 that highlighted a significant shortage of nurses in England's hospitals. The investigation revealed that one in three hospitals is operating with at least 10% fewer nurses than planned, raising concerns about patient safety. Starmer stated that the current situation reflects a "broken NHS" which he believes was inherited by his party. He emphasized the need to rebuild the health service. Already, Labour has made progress, promising two million extra NHS appointments to help reduce waiting lists within their first year of government. According to Starmer, these goals have already been partially achieved within just seven months. In response to a question about the lack of transparency in nurse staffing numbers since the Conservative government stopped publishing them, Starmer opened the door to considering the reintroduction of these reports. However, he emphasized his current focus remains on addressing waiting lists and improving healthcare. Starmer also addressed nurse salaries while mentioning the recent pay settlement that had successfully ended disputes and strikes among healthcare workers last year. He acknowledged the need for fair pay but refrained from committing to another pay rise this year, stating that discussions are ongoing. Overall, Starmer is advocating for significant reforms to strengthen the NHS and address the critical shortage of nurses.