British premier holds NHS Recovery Forum amid pressure on health service

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - The UK prime minister on Saturday hosted the NHS Recovery Forum amid increasing pressure on the country's health system.

"We are determined to ease pressure on the NHS (National Health Service), ensure better care for patients and deliver our promise to cut waiting lists," Rishi Sunak said on Twitter.

Clinical leaders, health experts, and relevant ministers were also among the attendees of the forum in Downing Street.

Early Saturday, the government said social care and delayed discharge, urgent and emergency care, elective care, and primary care are the top four agenda items of the forum.

"The Forum is the next step in the significant action that the government has taken to improve outcomes and relieve the immediate pressures on the NHS and in social care caused by the pandemic, with further pressures due to the recent rise in covid and flu cases," the statement noted.

In a speech on Wednesday, Sunak acknowledged the challenges faced by British people, and vowed that his government will work to reduce the waiting lists for NHS care.

He said long waits at the Accident and Emergency departments are among the issues "that are forefront on everyone’s mind."