NHS Heroes' Boris Backlash

NHS staff yesterday delivered a sucker punch to Boris Johnson as a damning poll revealed only 5% think the Government has handled the Covid crisis well.

- Dan Warburton

The backlash came as the health service looked on course to reach its incredible target of vaccinating 15 million by tomorrow and ministers were busy preparing to announce their “roadmap” out of lockdown next week.

Despite the good news, frontline workers hit out at the Tories’ failure to protect them properly during the pandemic in a poll of 3,500 staff for the GMB trade union.

Nearly half – 47% – said Mr Johnson and his ministers had handled the crisis badly, citing failures in providing them with the PPE they needed to properly protect themselves.

Latest Office for National Statistics figures revealed the deaths of more than 850 health and social care workers in England and Wales last year involved Covid-19.

Staff also criticised the Tories’ real term pay cuts and crippling staff shortages, which hit them hard in their darkest hour. And the beleaguered medics know they will still face an overwhelming workload when the crisis subsides because of a backlog of non-Covid patients.

In December, 225,000 people had been waiting for more than a year for vital treatment. And there are currently 4.5 million on hospital waiting lists – the highest number since records began in August 2007.

Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said: “Our NHS staff have shown themselves to be true heroes throughout this crisis. But they have been let down by Boris Johnson’s ministers who left our NHS badly prepared after years of cuts and understaffing.

“Now, our NHS will need back-up and support like never before. We need a plan to recruit and train the extra doctors, nurses and staff the NHS needs.”