The cabinet minister was speaking to the media outside Moorfields Eye Hospital in Old Street, central London, when a woman interrupted him to highlight how “people have died” while waiting for emergency services. The passer-by approached Mr Barclay and asked: “Are you going to do something about the ambulances that are waiting and the people that are dying?” Politics Hub: Minister throws cold water on cost of living assistance proposal Mr Barclay replied: ‘Of course we are’, but the woman continued: ‘Don’t you think 12 years is enough? “Twelve years – you’ve done very well. “People have died and all you’ve done is nothing.” After the heated interaction, Mr Barclay said reducing ambulance waiting times was an “absolute priority” for the government. It comes after a Care Quality Commission (CQC) report showed patients faced “frequent and prolonged” waits for ambulances. Image: Steve Barkley confronted by angry passerby over hospital waits The report revealed several cases, including that of an elderly patient who died after waiting 14 hours for help from South Central Ambulance Service. Mr Barclay told the PA news agency that the Government had taken a number of measures, including funding an extra £150m to the ambulance service, as well as an extra £50m to call centers and £30m to St John Ambulance. “We’re also looking at what’s happening with ambulance deliveries, so emergency departments, how do we measure that, how do we see the distribution of that within the system,” he said. “Of course, this is all linked to late hospital discharge and people who are ready to leave hospital who don’t, and this is about the integration of care between social care and hospitals. “So there are a number of issues around how ambulances are delivered, but it is an absolute priority for both the government and NHS England.” Read more: What have Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss promised for the country? Sunak hints he won’t take cabinet post if Truss wins leadership race Asked if he was worried about the future of the NHS under a possible tax cut economy run by Liz Truss, Mr Barclay, who is backing Rishi Sunak in the leadership race, said she was “the longest-serving cabinet minister” but the He made. does not comment on its tax policies. Ms Truss said she was “absolutely committed” to the £36 billion extra money announced to tackle the ongoing coronavirus crisis last year through the National Insurance increase – but says this will be funded by general taxation rather than an increase in NO. But he says he wants to divert billions of pounds earmarked for the NHS to social care in a bid to free up hospital beds.
