Health Secretary Wes Streeting has struck a sober tone, insisting there is no place for 'cockiness or complacency' despite some early progress within the NHS, as the service grapples with a five-day junior doctor strike and a surge in winter viruses.
'Hardest days' in the job amid strikes and flu
In a candid interview, Streeting stated the recent weeks have contained some of his hardest days as Health Secretary so far. The reflection came during a visit to St Christopher's Hospice in Sydenham, south London, where he opened a new wing funded by a £100 million government grant.
While he said such tangible results of policy decisions 'get him out of bed', the picture outside the hospice was starkly different. Junior doctors were midway through a significant five-day walkout, a move both Streeting and Prime Minister Keir Starmer have condemned. Simultaneously, hospitals across England were contending with record numbers of flu cases for the season.
Progress mixed with 'unacceptable' corridor care
The minister acknowledged some 'green shoots of recovery' in 2025, pointing to reduced waiting lists and improved satisfaction with GP access. However, he was quick to temper any optimism.
'We've also seen, in recent days and weeks, trolleys on corridors in hospitals, which I do not believe is an acceptable standard of care,' Streeting said bluntly. He added that a quarter of patients still struggle to see a GP and ambulance response times remain too slow.
'For all the progress we're making, I don't want anyone for a moment to think that we're patting ourselves on the back,' he emphasised.
Public scepticism and the long road of the 10-Year Plan
Despite health slipping as a top voter concern in polls—overtaken by the economy and immigration—public perception of the government's handling of the NHS has worsened. Streeting attributed this to widespread political cynicism, noting that 'seeing is believing' for many when it comes to NHS recovery.
'I know that some people are experiencing an improving NHS and for other people the care isn't good enough. Let me tell you, it's the latter group that I am most focused on,' he stated.
The government's long-term strategy, the 10-Year Health Plan for England launched in July 2025, is only about six months into its decade-long timeline. Streeting appears confident that sustained change will eventually shift public opinion, but acknowledges the public's impatience for visible results.
Major tests looming in 2026
The coming year is set to bring pivotal moments that will test the government's health agenda. Key among these are the publication of the detailed NHS Workforce Plan, the results of a major investigation into maternity services, and Baroness Casey's anticipated report on the social care crisis.
Streeting also addressed the sensitive topic of the Assisted Dying Bill, currently in the House of Lords. He reiterated that, regardless of personal views, Parliament must ensure the bill is robust. Crucially, he argued that if assisted dying becomes law, it must be a 'real choice' underpinned by universally available, high-quality palliative care—a standard he admitted the UK currently falls short of.
With Prime Minister Starmer declaring 2026 the year 'Britain turned renewal into reality', Streeting faces the immense task of translating policy frameworks and hospice investments into a tangible, felt improvement for every patient across the country.
