Sir Keir Starmer will at present announce a significant overhaul of the NHS, promising an “on-line hospital” that can ship hundreds of thousands of additional appointments and assist minimize lengthy ready occasions, as he outlines his imaginative and prescient for a “fairer” Britain.
In his keynote handle to the Labour Get together convention, the prime minister will set out plans for the digital service – NHS On-line – to launch in 2027.
Politics Hub: Follow the PM’s speech from 2pm
The platform will enable sufferers to entry prescriptions, ebook scans and exams, obtain medical recommendation, and handle appointments by the NHS app.
Labour declare the initiative will present as much as 8.5 million additional NHS appointments in its first three years. It should additionally let sufferers schedule in-person procedures at native hospitals, surgical hubs or diagnostic centres, lowering delays.
Describing the transfer as “a brand new chapter within the story of our NHS”, Sir Keir will say it marks the start of a technological revolution in healthcare.
Talking forward of the prime minister’s handle, Well being Secretary Wes Streeting mentioned the NHS faces an “existential menace” if it fails to modernise, and vowed Labour would embrace new applied sciences to safe its future.
“Our well being service and our social care providers want to alter with the occasions,” he mentioned.
Peter Kyle, Rachel Reeves and Keir Starmer on stage forward of her keynote speech. Pic: PA
Nation standing at a ‘fork within the street’
Sir Keir’s announcement comes at a pivotal second for the prime minister, as he’ll use his handle at 2pm to rally a divided occasion and set out his imaginative and prescient for nationwide renewal.
He’ll urge voters to reject what he calls the “politics of grievance” promoted by Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, and as a substitute unite round a shared sense of “dignity and respect”.
The prime minister will argue that the nation stands at a “fork within the street”, going through a selection between “renewal or decline”.
“Britain stands at a fork within the street. We will select decency. Or we are able to select division,” he’ll say.
Sir Keir will solid the problem forward as akin to the challenges confronted by the post-war authorities of former Labour prime minister Clement Attlee, calling it a struggle for “the soul of our nation”.
Learn extra:
Streeting tells BMA to ‘pick a side’
Reeves does nothing to ease budget speculation
Is Andy Burnham coming for Starmer?
Mounting challenges for Labour
The speech additionally comes amid mounting political headwinds, with polls displaying Reform persevering with to draw assist from disillusioned voters.
On the identical time, Labour faces rising strain to ship on its guarantees round tax, immigration, and public spending – and expectations of a tough finances in November.
Sir Keir is anticipated to acknowledge that the trail to nationwide renewal will not be simple, warning of “selections that won’t at all times be snug for our occasion”.
All eyes on the chancellor’s finances
Regardless of current hypothesis over his management, sparked partly by criticism from Better Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, Sir Keir seems decided to reassert his authority.
However the Conservatives have already dismissed his speech earlier than supply, with occasion chairman Kevin Hollinrake claiming: “Keir Starmer calls this a fork within the street, however he is already pushed Britain right into a cul-de-sac of chaos.”
Forward of Sir Keir’s speech, cupboard members may also handle the convention in Liverpool.
Northern Eire Secretary Hilary Benn, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander, and Mr Streeting will all converse.
On Monday, 10 cupboard ministers addressed the convention from the primary stage, together with Chancellor Rachel Reeves, who argued Reform current a menace to the financial system.
