Reporting Back: Oliver Ryan MP Burnley, Padiham and Brierfield – Saving Our NHS, So You Can Rely On It.

First and foremost, I would like to express my profound gratitude to our emergency services and NHS staff across Burnley, Padiham and Brierfield. The Christmas period is always especially demanding for those working to protect and look after us, and I want to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you for your unwavering dedication and tireless commitment.

The NHS is the pride of Britain, it impacts us all. The single biggest issue for me at the election was our NHS – but it’s in a fight for its life.

We are grappling with record waiting lists, record low levels of dissatisfaction, and millions are waiting for care, not being seen or waiting for ambulances which just don’t turn up in time. Let me be absolutely clear: this is not a reflection of the hard work and commitment of NHS staff. It is the result of 14 years of neglect by the previous government. The NHS facing unprecedented pressures and urgent reforms needed to restore its strength, as well as investment.

In the lead-up to the election, we committed to a vision of an NHS fit for the future, and six months into this new government, we are already taking bold action to make that a reality. At the recent budget, we allocated over £25 billion to the NHS—a record investment. Since July alone, we have directed more than £1.8 billion specifically to reduce waiting lists. This first phase of funding will enable an additional two million operations, scans, and appointments every year—equivalent to 40,000 additional appointments each week.

This week, the Prime Minister laid out further plans to tackle the hospital waiting lists, fulfilling a key promise made during the election. The Darzi Report highlighted one of the NHS’s most pressing failings: its inability to provide timely access to care. We are committed to meeting the NHS constitutional standard, which stipulates that 92% of patients in England should wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment. This target has not been met in over a decade, with many waiting 18 months or longer. As of now, there are 7.5 million people on waiting lists, many of whom are in pain and unable to continue with their daily lives. This is a tragedy, and it must be addressed.

We are modernising digital systems to improve the patient experience—patients will soon be able to view appointments and results via the NHS app. This will also help tackle some of the longest waiting times in specialist areas of care, providing an additional one million appointments a year for NHS patients.

This deal will not only increase capacity but also give patients more control over their own treatment, expanding their choice without compromising the principle of free, universal care. Our plan also includes the creation of 17 new and expanded surgical hubs by June, which will scale up capacity for common procedures, enabling more people to receive care sooner. We are making better use of existing resources too, such as opening diagnostic centres 12 hours a day, seven days a week—this alone will allow for up to 440,000 additional appointments each year. More of these appointments will be available in local communities, thanks to investment in new surgical hubs and diagnostic equipment. This means more healthcare closer to home.

This government is fully committed to its pledge of fixing the foundations of this country, and that starts with restoring our NHS. During the election, we prioritised tackling waiting times—a decision that was backed overwhelmingly by the British public. We have a plan, and we are already seeing progress. Of course, there is still much work to do to fix the damage caused by the previous government, but we will not shy away from the challenges ahead.

As always, if you have any concerns or need assistance, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. You can reach me by email at [email protected] or by phone at 01282 216398. My office is open for walk-ins from Monday to Thursday, 10am to 2pm, and by appointment only on Fridays. I will also be holding more surgeries soon—please stay tuned for further details.

Wishing you all the best for the year ahead,

Oliver