Wes Streeting’s 22 months as health secretary were marked by a flurry of media appearances and policy documents, but critics argue he failed to deliver fundamental reform. Despite declaring the NHS "on the road to recovery" six months ago, many targets remain unmet, and several reviews into long-standing problems have been kicked into the long grass.
Streeting’s resignation letter highlighted successes: waiting times for planned treatment saw the biggest monthly drop since 2008, ambulance response times for strokes and heart attacks are the fastest in five years, and A&E four-hour waits are also the best in five years. However, other indicators, such as urgent cancer treatment targets, remain significantly off track.
Critics point to numerous reviews commissioned under Streeting—on maternity care, mental health demand, and social care (the latter not reporting until 2028)—as exercises in buying time. The King’s Fund chief executive Sarah Woolnough praised his energy but questioned whether implementation matched the policy output. A former NHS executive said he had "no detailed plan" for transformation and will be remembered as "someone who told a good story" but lacked substance.
One hospital trust chief executive was blunt: "Wes talked a lot … but not effective," attributing any progress to NHS England chief Jim Mackey. A fellow Labour MP accused Streeting of chasing headlines and fighting with the workforce rather than improving patient care, asking: "Ask 100 people today if the NHS is more accessible than two years ago and they’ll all tell you ‘no’."
Streeting’s achievements include the Tobacco and Vapes Act, a ban on junk food advertising before 9pm, and a 10-year health plan based on "three big shifts"—though the plan lacked a chapter on implementation. The King’s Fund’s Siva Anandaciva noted the difficult context: a stagnating economy, post-Covid recovery, and industrial action.
