‘Which Ones?’: BBC Breakfast Host Presses Health Minister To Back Claim NHS Trusts Are Meeting Targets

BBC Breakfast host Naga Munchetty piled the pressure on Health Secretary Victoria Atkins on Thursday morning, demanding the senior Tory back her claim that some NHS trusts were meeting health targets amidst a general failure to manage escalating waiting lists.

The government faces scrutiny as waiting lists have soared to over 7 million procedures, despite promises from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to reduce them.

Atkins appeared on BBC Breakfast on Thursday, tasked with the morning press rounds.The host, however, was prepared to confront the minister with data.

Munchetty began: “The most recent figures available show that the overall number of people waiting for non-emergency treatment is down for the fifth month in a row. But still, the number of people waiting compared to this time last year is up 360,000, and compared to when the prime minister came into office, is up 620,000.”

With that established, the host added: “So it’s all very well saying that these waiting times are coming down – they’re still too high. And you say there are some parts of the country that are doing well. Where?”

Unprepared to supply the specifics, Atkins explained how every week she examines Trust data and meetings to make sure

“Which ones? Could you name them?” the host repeated, interrupting.

The minister continued: “What I want to do, if I may, I don’t think it’s fair actually, for trusts to be… I’ve tried always to be even-handed in how I deal with trusts. So, I will look at Trusts…”

Shaking her head, Munchetty said: ““Victoria Atkins, if you are going to flag ones that are doing well, great. You say there are ones doing well. Say them out loud. We’ve had comments from all over the country, and I will keep telling you what our audience is saying. But you tell me where these areas are. You tell our audience where these great trusts are.”

Unwilling or unable to do it, Atkins said: “We… again, what I’m trying to do is to put into context that in an enormous system that treats 1.3 million people a day, that saw in the month of February 74,000 people going into A&E every single day. We know that there are some people who will have the sorts of experiences that are simply unacceptable, but there are also people who have had good experiences.”