Wes Streeting has shown his support for putting a Wetherspoons in every hospital – but says he might struggle to win the backing of the chancellor.
The health secretary has called on the British public to share their experiences and ideas to help “fix our NHS” after launching a new ‘Change’ website which can be accessed at change.nhs.uk or on the NHS app.
Suggestions submitted to the portal will help shape the government’s “10 Year Health Plan” ensuring the public’s fingerprints are all over the reform.
Streeting, who was treated for kidney cancer in 2021, said the NHS “saved my life” and everyone owed the health service “a debt of gratitude”.
“Now we have a chance to repay that debt,” he said.
“Today the NHS is going through the worst crisis in its history. But while the NHS is broken, it’s not beaten.
“Together, we can fix it.
“Whether you use the NHS or work in it, you see first-hand what’s great, but also what isn’t working. We need your ideas to help turn the NHS around.”
People have been sharing examples of the early suggestions submitted to the site, and they make for some interesting reading.
One, which piqued the attention of Streeting, was for Wetherspoons pubs to be installed in hospitals to reduce rates of mental illness.
Responding on X, the health secretary said the idea was “great” but has been “sadly vetoed by the Chancellor during Budget negotiations”.
Oh, well!