A government-commissioned review has revealed the dire state of England’s National Health Service (NHS), citing long treatment waits, deteriorating hospitals, and inadequate mental health facilities. The report, published Wednesday, highlights the significant challenges facing Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government in reviving the healthcare system.

The review, conducted by Lord Ara Darzi, a surgeon and member of the House of Lords, attributes the NHS’s decline to years of underinvestment and administrative meddling. The report notes that the NHS was “starved of capital” during the 2010s, leading to a lack of investment in diagnostic equipment, technology, and buildings.

The findings are consistent with public sentiment, as satisfaction with the NHS has reached an all-time low. Prime Minister Starmer has described the situation as “unforgivable” and has pledged to implement a 10-year plan to reform the NHS.

The report highlights several key issues, including:

– Long waits for treatment in emergency rooms, estimated to have caused an additional 14,000 deaths annually
– Poor cancer patient outcomes, with higher mortality rates compared to other European countries
– Inadequate mental health facilities, with patients being treated in “vermin-infested cells”
– A shortage of MRI scanners compared to other developed countries

The review criticizes successive Conservative governments for their handling of the NHS, particularly the 2012 restructuring, which is described as “a calamity without international precedent.”

Prime Minister Starmer is expected to outline his plans for NHS reform in a speech on Thursday, focusing on digitization, community-based care, and preventive healthcare. However, he has warned that the situation will “get worse before it gets better” due to the scale of the challenge.