Britain’s National Health Service is “undeniably under enormous pressure”, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has admitted, as he refused to say whether he used private health care amid record waiting times for treatment.
Speaking on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg on the BBC, Mr Sunak said the health service was struggling but insisted “we can get to grips” with the problem.
He said he had met NHS leaders and now had a “renewed sense of confidence and optimism”.
Mr Sunak has made reducing the NHS waiting lists one of his key priorities over the next two years and has held emergency talks with health leaders to alleviate the crisis.
But unlike Conservative former prime minister Margaret Thatcher, who spoke of exercising her "right as a free citizen to spend my own money in my own way" to seek private health care, Mr Sunak refused to say whether he has paid to avoid waiting lists himself.
Mr Sunak refused to say, despite repeated questioning, whether he used a private GP, after claims earlier emerged he was registered with a private practice in west London that guarantees patients with urgent concerns will be seen "on the day".
He said he “grew up in an NHS family” with a father who was a doctor and a mother who worked as a pharmacist.
"As a general policy, I wouldn't ever talk about me or my family's healthcare situation.
"But it's not really relevant, what's relevant is the difference I can make to the country."
The nursing union told him to "come clean" on the issue, while Labour said Mr Sunak gave the impression of being a leader who "not only doesn't use the NHS but doesn't understand the scale of the challenges".
Royal College of Nursing General Secretary, Pat Cullen, who has been leading strikes in an attempt to secure nurses a better pay deal, told Ms Kuenssberg: "I think as a public servant, you ought to be clear with the public whether or not you are using private health cover.
"That's about being open, it's about being transparent and it's about honesty.
"I think he needed to come clean. As a public servant he is elected by the public, so he is accountable to the public and when you're accountable to the public, you have to be honest with them."
Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting told the programme he did not use private health care, as he sought to paint Mr Sunak as being out of touch.
"I thought the Prime Minister in that interview gave the impression of someone who not only doesn't use the NHS but doesn't understand the scale of the challenges or have a plan to deal with the fundamental problems," the Labour MP said.
"Because, yes, you can get people around the table in No 10 for a photo op, yes, you can do more sticking plasters to get through this winter ... but we need fundamental change in the NHS to deal with what is the biggest crisis in its history and that's what Labour is looking to do."
Mr Sunak questioned figures from the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, which claims at least 300 people a week are dying because of delays in accident and emergency departments.
“The NHS themselves have said that they don’t recognise those numbers and would be careful about bandying them around,” he said.
But he admitted there had been unacceptable delays in ambulance handovers.
Mr Sunak said the problem was "not going to be solved overnight” but that ensuring patients were discharged from hospital to social care, home settings and virtual wards would help ease the situation.
He said he was confident patients would no longer have to wait 18 months for treatment.
He said he would be meeting the nurses’ union on Monday after strikes by the profession.
“It’s important they recognise the work they do is appreciated and I’m grateful and the government is grateful for it,” he said.
“And that’s why we want to have a reasonable, honest, two-way conversation about pay and everything else that is relevant”.
Nurses strike in the UK - in pictures
He said the “door has always been open” to “talk about things that are reasonable, affordable and responsible for the country”.
“When it comes to pay, as I’ve said, it’s not appropriate for those conversations to happen in public but the most important thing is that we are talking,” he said.
Ms Cullen said she heard “a chink of optimism” in his comments.
She said Monday's meeting was "not addressing the issues that are at dispute, and that is addressing pay for 2022/23".
She added: “What the government wants to talk about tomorrow is pay moving forward and in the broadest terms. And that is not going to avert the strike action that’s planned for 10 days’ time.”
Prof Clive Kay, chief executive of King’s College Hospital, who was also on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, said the past year was the worst he had experienced “by far” in his 40 years working in the NHS.
After listening to Mr Sunak’s comments, he said he did not think the Prime Minister had grasped the difficulty of the situation.
“This is not just a winter 2022/2023 problem," he said. "[It’s going to take] quite a time to fix this. We need some realistic conversations about the situation we are in, how difficult it is, what the public can expect.
"And I think the suggestion that there's going to be a quick fix is not a reality."
In his BBC interview, Mr Sunak also spoke about inflation, saying it was vital to many issues facing the UK, including nurses’ salary demands.
"We can't help anybody, whether it’s nurses or everyone else, unless we get inflation down and that’s why it’s one of our five priorities.”
He repeated those priorities, which are "to halve inflation, grow the economy, reduce debt, cut waiting lists and stop the [migrant] boats."
Mr Sunak also addressed the crisis in the country’s immigration system, which is suffering from a large backlog in asylum applications.
He said: “My view is if you come here illegally you should not have the right to stay and you will be detained and then swiftly removed, either to your home … or indeed to a safe third alternative.”
He said new laws would be passed early this year and should apply to everyone who arrives in the UK illegally.
He pointed out that Albania, “a safe country”, accounted for almost a third of illegal migrant arrivals last year.
“Other European countries return illegal migrants to Albania, we were not doing that sufficiently,” he said.
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
Closing the loophole on sugary drinks
As The National reported last year, non-fizzy sugared drinks were not covered when the original tax was introduced in 2017. Sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, 20 grams of sugar per 500ml bottle.
The non-fizzy drink AriZona Iced Tea contains 65 grams of sugar – about 16 teaspoons – per 680ml can. The average can costs about Dh6, which would rise to Dh9.
Drinks such as Starbucks Bottled Mocha Frappuccino contain 31g of sugar in 270ml, while Nescafe Mocha in a can contains 15.6g of sugar in a 240ml can.
Flavoured water, long-life fruit juice concentrates, pre-packaged sweetened coffee drinks fall under the ‘sweetened drink’ category
Not taxed:
Freshly squeezed fruit juices, ground coffee beans, tea leaves and pre-prepared flavoured milkshakes do not come under the ‘sweetened drink’ band.
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
MATCH INFO
Uefa Nations League
League A, Group 4
Spain v England, 10.45pm (UAE)
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dual%20synchronous%20electric%20motors%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E660hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E1%2C100Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle-speed%20automatic%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETouring%20range%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E488km-560km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh850%2C000%20(estimate)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EOctober%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
If you go:
The flights: Etihad, Emirates, British Airways and Virgin all fly from the UAE to London from Dh2,700 return, including taxes
The tours: The Tour for Muggles usually runs several times a day, lasts about two-and-a-half hours and costs £14 (Dh67)
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is on now at the Palace Theatre. Tickets need booking significantly in advance
Entrance to the Harry Potter exhibition at the House of MinaLima is free
The hotel: The grand, 1909-built Strand Palace Hotel is in a handy location near the Theatre District and several of the key Harry Potter filming and inspiration sites. The family rooms are spacious, with sofa beds that can accommodate children, and wooden shutters that keep out the light at night. Rooms cost from £170 (Dh808).
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Company profile
Company: Rent Your Wardrobe
Date started: May 2021
Founder: Mamta Arora
Based: Dubai
Sector: Clothes rental subscription
Stage: Bootstrapped, self-funded
Important questions to consider
1. Where on the plane does my pet travel?
There are different types of travel available for pets:
- Manifest cargo
- Excess luggage in the hold
- Excess luggage in the cabin
Each option is safe. The feasibility of each option is based on the size and breed of your pet, the airline they are traveling on and country they are travelling to.
2. What is the difference between my pet traveling as manifest cargo or as excess luggage?
If traveling as manifest cargo, your pet is traveling in the front hold of the plane and can travel with or without you being on the same plane. The cost of your pets travel is based on volumetric weight, in other words, the size of their travel crate.
If traveling as excess luggage, your pet will be in the rear hold of the plane and must be traveling under the ticket of a human passenger. The cost of your pets travel is based on the actual (combined) weight of your pet in their crate.
3. What happens when my pet arrives in the country they are traveling to?
As soon as the flight arrives, your pet will be taken from the plane straight to the airport terminal.
If your pet is traveling as excess luggage, they will taken to the oversized luggage area in the arrival hall. Once you clear passport control, you will be able to collect them at the same time as your normal luggage. As you exit the airport via the ‘something to declare’ customs channel you will be asked to present your pets travel paperwork to the customs official and / or the vet on duty.
If your pet is traveling as manifest cargo, they will be taken to the Animal Reception Centre. There, their documentation will be reviewed by the staff of the ARC to ensure all is in order. At the same time, relevant customs formalities will be completed by staff based at the arriving airport.
4. How long does the travel paperwork and other travel preparations take?
This depends entirely on the location that your pet is traveling to. Your pet relocation compnay will provide you with an accurate timeline of how long the relevant preparations will take and at what point in the process the various steps must be taken.
In some cases they can get your pet ‘travel ready’ in a few days. In others it can be up to six months or more.
5. What vaccinations does my pet need to travel?
Regardless of where your pet is traveling, they will need certain vaccinations. The exact vaccinations they need are entirely dependent on the location they are traveling to. The one vaccination that is mandatory for every country your pet may travel to is a rabies vaccination.
Other vaccinations may also be necessary. These will be advised to you as relevant. In every situation, it is essential to keep your vaccinations current and to not miss a due date, even by one day. To do so could severely hinder your pets travel plans.
Source: Pawsome Pets UAE
