Policy watch: NHS waiting lists

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure—in the case of waiting lists, 5 million.

As the upcoming elections draw near, keeping a close eye on the political promises made regarding healthcare is crucial. 

This week, Wes Streeting, Labour's Shadow Health Secretary, suggested that the NHS should consider using private healthcare capacity to fix the waiting list problems. 

Speaking to the Financial Times, Streeting said,  “I can simultaneously want to reduce [NHS] reliance on the private sector by making sure it has the staff, the equipment, and the technology it needs to treat patients on time, while recognising that there is currently some capacity in the private sector, and we should seek to use it.”

Streeting has received guidance from former Health Secretary Alan Milburn and ex-Number 10 adviser Paul Corrigan. Both were members of Tony Blair's administration, which oversaw the disastrous private finance initiatives (PFIs) to fund infrastructure projects. 

PFIs locked NHS trusts in England into ongoing financial payments for which they bear the total cost. Between 2004…