It’s hard to remember a time when the NHS wasn’t at ‘breaking point’. But with more than 7 million people in England on the NHS waiting list, real-term wage decreases, over-stretched ambulance services, and impending strike action from nurses – can it make it through the winter? Anita Charlesworth, Director of Research at the Health Foundation, joins Siân Pattenden to weigh up if there is any hope of saving it.

“The NHS staff are wracked with trauma post-Covid.”
“We ran the NHS hot at the edge of capacity before the pandemic.”
“Pay is far from the central factor of low staff morale, they haven’t felt valued for years.”
“A lot of hospitals are now running food banks for their staff.”

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Presented by Siân Pattenden. Producers: Jet Gerbertson and Alex Rees. Assistant Producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Robin Leeburn. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production

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Winter is coming. Can the NHS survive it?