Professor Phil Banfield of the British Medical Association expressed doubts about whether the plan could be implemented.
“Doctors, like patients, are frustrated by the lack of facilities to provide care and want to reduce waiting lists,” he said.
“But the reality is that without a workforce to meet ever-increasing demand, we won’t see the progress that everyone expects.”
Professor Banfield’s concerns were echoed by Dr Janet Dickinson, Chair of the Council of the Academy of Royal Colleges of Physicians.
“We know that these things can make a difference. We know that these things are being tried and piloted in small areas and are actually making a difference.” she told the BBC’s Today programme.
“We have the staff, we have the premises, we have the operating rooms and exam rooms, we have the capacity to make these changes, and we are doing it at pace and scale.”
Shadow health and social care secretary Ed Argar said it was the Conservatives who had “revolutionized” the diagnostic process by rolling out 160 community diagnostic centres.
He said the government’s plans were “another announcement that makes it clear that, after 14 years in opposition, Labor has no new ideas of its own on the NHS, despite promises of change.” said.
“Patients cannot wait for more confusion and delays at a time when the government has promised so much and delivered so little so far,” he said.
Liberal Democrat MP and health spokeswoman Helen Morgan said waiting list plans risked “prioritizing hip replacements over heart attacks” unless the “crisis” in emergency medicine and social care was addressed. Ta.
