PM faces questions in Commons after analysis suggests NHS could ‘permanently swallow’ all £12bn raised for social careBoris Johnson stakes reputation on £12bn fix for health and social care‘Boris plays catch-up’: what the papers say about Johnson’s tax…
Labour says PPE orders must not go to Xinjiang firms that use forced workers
Exclusive: Emily Thornberry appeals to Sajid Javid to tackle issue of forced labour in Chinese provinceLabour has written to the health secretary, Sajid Javid, urging him to ensure a new £5bn contract for NHS protective equipment including gowns and ma…
Why reshuffle-shy Boris Johnson is reluctant to sack ministers
Analysis: Dominic Raab is saved for now but enters ministerial limbo ahead of PM’s long-awaited shake-up of top teamDominic Raab appears to have been saved this week by Boris Johnson’s exceptionally high threshold for sacking ministers. For now, the fo…
Ministers launch review to weed out ‘cowboy’ Covid travel test firms
Sajid Javid cuts price of NHS test and trace package for international arrivals by a fifthCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageMinisters have launched a review of the misleading costs of Covid travel tests from “cowboy” providers…
UK watchdog vows to help fight rip-off Covid test firms
CMA commits to providing the government with advice and data on the PCR testing marketCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe UK’s competition watchdog said it is ready to help the government take rapid action against covid test…
Record number of NHS England patients waiting for routine hospital treatment
Health secretary warns 5.45m figure will rise sharply even further, as result of backlog from pandemicSajid Javid has warned that the number of people needing hospital treatment in England is set to rise sharply, outstripping the new record of almost 5…
UK health department plan for return to office working put on hold
Exclusive: DHSC scraps timetable requiring civil servants to be in offices for up to eight days a month from SeptemberCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageSajid Javid’s health department has abandoned plans to end civil servants’…
NHS waiting lists could top 15 million in four years without major rise in capacity
Overspend of at least £5bn likely, says Nuffield Trust – but cabinet is deeply split over size of future funding settlementThe waiting list for NHS care in England could rise to 15 million people in the next four years without a significant increase in…
Sajid Javid admits UK Covid rates unpredictable as cases rise again
Health secretary’s comments came after a week of declining cases ended with 4,000 increase in one dayCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageSajid Javid has said “no one really knows” what trajectory the Covid pandemic will take in …
Amanda Pritchard to replace Simon Stevens as NHS England chief
Appointment is sign government wants continuity for pandemic recoverySimon Stevens’ deputy has been confirmed as the head of NHS England after months of speculation that the job could go to the head of test and trace, Dido Harding.Amanda Pritchard will…