Prime Minister Liz Truss has said that putting the NHS ‘on a firm footing’ is one of her top three priorities (alongside the economy and energy). Meanwhile, Health Secretary Thérèse Coffey has said her priorities are ABCD (ambulances, backlog, care and doctors and dentists), and since the podcast recording she has set out the government's plans.

So how will this translate to the NHS, social care and improving the UK’s health? Will government have the bandwidth before an election to address more than the day-to-day pressures? And if a Truss government won a general election with a mandate to do more, what form would it take?

To discuss, our chief executive Dr Jennifer Dixon is joined by:

Rachel Wolf, Founding Partner at Public First. Rachel is also on the Board of the Centre for Policy Studies, co-authored the Conservative Party’s Election Manifesto in 2019 and was previously education and innovation adviser to the Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street. 

Isabel Hardman, Assistant Editor at The Spectator. Isabel has authored two books – Why We Get the Wrong Politicians and The Natural Health Service – and is currently finishing a third on the NHS.

Show notes