1. Immediately set up a Vaccines-style ‘Backlog Taskforce’.

A taskforce with independent leadership to cut bureaucracy and waste, and drive radical reforms.

2. Get a grip of the NHS waiting list.

We know that the waiting lists are full of duplicates and mistakes. So all Hospital Trusts will be mandated to audit their waiting lists within one month. Everyone who has been waiting over 18 weeks contacted by their NHS Trust within 100 days to advise on when they can expect treatment.

3. Quicker, expert diagnosis.

Increase the number of Community Diagnostics Hubs to 200 by March 2024. These one stop shops are able to provide life saving services like MRI and CT scans. We will use vacant high street shops to bring them close to communities.

Expand the use of at-home testing. The pandemic has shown the potential for at-home testing. The Backlog Taskforce will ask all hospital trusts to report on what tests don’t need to be done in the hospital and expect at-home delivery plans by Christmas.

Use additional, innovative capacity where it is cost effective to do so. For example using the private sector who have available diagnostics equipment, and revolutionary new blood tests which are currently being trialled on the NHS,which are able to detect up to 50 types of cancer before symptoms appear.

4. Delivering surgeries.

We will significantly expand the network of specialist surgical hubs – centres that systematically undertake low complexity procedures like knee, hip and cataracts operations. Through more efficient planning of surgical teams and operating theatres this can cut wasted time and boost productivity.

We will accelerate the use of virtual wards, so people can recover in their own home with close monitoring and free up beds for inpatients. We will also consider increasing the number of hospital beds, targeted by areas of need, like in the South-West and East of England.

We will cut the bureaucracy getting in the way of the world’s brightest and best doctors and nurses coming to the UK to join our NHS.

5. Putting patients in the driving seat.

We will cut routine re-appointments every 3/6 months which put unnecessary pressure on the outpatient system, many of which are missed. Instead patients should be empowered, with the advice of their medical professionals, to choose when they return to see a consultant.

NHS App and NHS 111 will be expanded to become the first port of call for patients as the NHS Front Door. Enabling them to input their symptoms and then be directed to who is best place to help including pharmacists, physios and GPs.

We will look at going back to people having their own family doctor - where they want one - rather than simply being attached to a surgery