Britain | Short-termitis

The disease that most afflicts England’s National Health Service

Stopping raids on capital budgets would be a start

Surgeons at a National Health Service hospital.
Photograph: Andrew Testa/The New York Times/Redux/Eyevine

On July 29th the new Labour government announced a pay deal with the British Medical Association that would give junior doctors in England a pay rise of 22% over two years. If accepted it will bring an end to the longest period of industrial unrest in the history of the National Health Service (NHS), which has led to the cancellation of almost 1.5m appointments.

Explore more

From the August 3rd 2024 edition

Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents

Explore the edition

More from Britain

Crew members during the commissioning of HMS Prince of Wales

Has the Royal Navy become too timid?

A new paper examines how its culture has changed

A pedestrian walks across the town square in Stevenage

A plan to reorganise local government in England runs into opposition

Turkeys vote against Christmas


David Lammy, Britain’s foreign secretary

David Lammy’s plan to shake up Britain’s Foreign Office

Diplomats will be tasked with growing the economy and cutting migration


Britain’s government has spooked markets and riled businesses

Tax rises were inevitable. Such a shaky start was not

Labour’s credibility trap

Who can believe Rachel Reeves?