NHS leaders have warned incoming health and social care secretary Steve Barclay cannot “sugar coat” the big challenges facing healthcare amid battles over fair NHS pay, crumbing hospital buildings and a growing workforce crisis.
On Tuesday evening in a shock announcement health and social care secretary Sajid Javid resigned from his post citing he could “no long continue in good concience.”
Steve Barclay, MP for North East Cambridgeshire has been appointed as his replacement.
Health union leaders have said the new health and social care secretary must agree demands over new NHS pay levels, following threats over strike action.
Speaking with The Independent Colenzo Jarret Thorpe, Health lead for Unite the Union said he feared the departure of Mr Javid could push back the government’s decision over what pay uplift to award NHS staff.
He added: “Whoever comes in will need time to get on top of their brief. There is no propect in the change of the government direction unil a change in prime minister or a change in government.”
The government’s decision on pay was expected to be made within the next two weeks before summer recess.
In a statement the Royal College of Nursing’s chair of council Carol Popplestone said:“The next NHS pay award is three months late already and the two people responsible have walked out tonight - on the NHS’s 74th birthday.
"After a decade of pay cuts, this award needs to be a big one - 5 per cent above the level of inflation to make people feel valued, prevent them from leaving and keep patients safe.”
NHS leaders have also warned the new health secretary cannot “sugar coat” the problems facing the NHS.
In response to Mr Javid’s resignation, Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said: “Mr Javid’s departure presents an opportunity for more realism in the immediate challenges facing the NHS. In particular, there needs to be greater recognition from both the new health and social care secretary and chancellor that if we are to create an NHS that is fit for the future, then this must be reflected in the capital investment it is given.
“Health leaders were aghast by the recent claims that the NHS does not need more money when nine in ten of them told us that their efforts to reduce the size of their lists were being hindered by a decade-long underinvestment in their buildings and estates.”
He called for “political stability” from the government and “immediate acknowledgement from their new health and social care secretary that the present situation is understood and with no sugar coating.”
NHS Providers interim chief Saffron Cordery said the health secretary’s successor faces “several big and pressing challenges.”
She said: “On Covid-19, while staff continue to work flat out to reduce waiting lists and ramp up activity, the NHS is in for a bumpy ride over the next few months as it grapples with new and unpredictable variants alongside the pressures that seasonal flu may bring earlier than usual this year. This impacts all parts of the NHS, including mental health, community and ambulance services.
“All eyes will be on how the new health and social care secretary addresses major challenges including serious workforce shortages right across the NHS, the forthcoming NHS pay award amid the cost of living crisis, and the government’s New Hospitals Programme which promises to give the NHS much-needed capital investment to benefit patients and the quality of care.
“More support for an underfunded and overstretched social care system is also desperately overdue to help to ease mounting pressure in the whole health and care system.”
Dolin Bhagawati from Doctors Association U.K. warned “With a record breaking backlog, rising covid cases, short staffing, retention and recruitment issues as well as pay and conditions problems facing the NHS on its 74th birthday, DAUK calls for a health secretary appointment that is genuinely committed to addressing these very real problems that end up affecting all patients, and not a convienient politically expedient appointment”
