More strikes loom, the crisis in adult social care continues to escalate, and junior NHS doctors are ready to quit their roles en masse. With the safety of the nation at stake, Rishi Sunak's government seems committed to intentionally maximizing conflict and disruption. The conservatives' stubbornness in the face of reasonable demands — amid spiraling inflation — is putting lives at risk.
While Sunak's government can pursue long-term reforms to the NHS — such as providing equipment, funding, and enacting repairs — few of such interventions will have any impact on the situation before the next election. Sunak will need to devise an inventive and politically astute plan to respond to this situation while protecting conservative interests in the lead-up to the next general election.