An angry NHS worker told a cabinet minister “enough’s enough” as she called for urgent investment in the health service.
The woman, who works in an A&E department, dismissed the 10-year plan launched by health secretary Wes Streeting, saying the NHS needs urgent reform straight away.
Addressing the BBC Question Time panel on Thursday night, she said: “We shouldn’t be telling you, as people in the NHS or members of the public, what you should be doing. It’s obvious what needs to happen.
“I love my job and I love helping people. You can’t attract people into the NHS the way it is. You need to start doing something now and acting on things now, and not have another 10 year plan. Come on guys.”
Presenter Fiona Bruce asked environment secretary Steve Reed, who was on the panel, why the government was not “getting on with” reforming the NHS now.
As the minister tried to answer, the NHS worker shouted: “Hold on, hold on. You’re losing staff hand over fist because they’re tired and they’re burned out.”
As the audience applauded, she went on: “They can’t give any more, they can’t work any harder, and all we’re getting is ‘we’re not doing enough’, we’re not working hard enough, we’re not working fast enough, we’re not seeing enough people’.
“Enough’s enough. You need to start putting money in and investing properly and keeping the staff you’ve already got, rather than leaving the country and working abroad somewhere else.”
Reed told her: “I completely understand the frustration you’re expressing madam, we feel it exactly the same.”