Not wishing to get into an argument but I don’t think lockdown has broken the NHS. Lockdown was necessary (I know you don’t agree - but even if not, lockdown was even needed to be considered) due to the fact it is dangerously understaffed and resourced after years of criminal neglect and underfunding. If we hadn’t locked down, do you think the nhs would be in a healthier (pardon the pun) position? Underfunding public services is and has always been a political choice, generally by a sitting Conservative government. I wouldn’t look too far beyond that when trying to ascertain the issues in the nhs.
Lockdown hasnt broken the NHS What has broken the NHS is a combination of underfunding by Government and a lack of staff made much worse by the fact its much harder to recruit from abroad and we dont have the people available in the UK. Covid hasnt helped either as that created additional load but to try and blame lockdown is pushing it rather a lot
Yes, of course. There wouldn't be anywhere near the backlogs. You're correct about decades of underfunding, yet pre Covid it was still functional. Imagine what a great position we would now be in if the money wasted on test and trace and millions of "free" never ending tests had been utilised on improving services across the board instead.
It wouldn’t have been though. Disregarding stance on lockdown either way, if Covid hadn’t happened we wouldn’t have had that amount given randomly to the NHS.
12 years of tories have broken the NHS just like they did under Thatcher. It’s literally that simple.
Years of tory cutbacks are what's killed the NHS. The huge backlog of operations and significant increase in serious heart, cancer and other illnesses that are in an advanced stage due to missed opportunities to diagnose caused by the devotion of the NHS to one illness for the best part of a year is simply the straw that's broken the camel's back.