“When I was Prime Minister, (…) we launched a huge program to recruit nurses,” defends Boris Johnson

Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson, guest on 20 Heures, Monday November 18, looks back on Donald Trump's victory. “Trump succeeded because he gave Americans an idea for the economy. he believes, saying however “full of worry” following his election. Among all the leaders he encountered during his mandate, he singles out one figure who impressed him: Angela Merkel.

In his book, IndomitableBoris Johnson explains that Covid-19 prevented him from investing in particular in transport and schools, but also from using the money intended for Europe for the British health system, the NHS. The latter is now in very poor health.

Illustration with the story of an English patient who has just had a hip prosthesis fitted… in Lithuania. “I would have liked to have this operation done in my country. But unfortunately the UK does not have the capacity at the moment“, he laments. In this country, the city of Kaunas has become the new capital of orthopedic surgery. The operation costs around 10,000 euros all inclusive, whereas it would have been free in the public hospital British, however, the delays are very long.

In the UK, 7.6 million people are on the waiting list for treatment, more than 10% of the population. The national health service, the NHS, created at the end of the Second World War, has long been the pride of the country. It is now going through the worst crisis in its history. “When I was Prime Minister, the first thing I did was spend £34 billion, and we launched a huge nurse recruitment program“, retorts Boris Johnson, who once again blames Covid-19.

Watch the full report in the video above.

Independent inquiry into the NHS in England: report and annexesLord Ara Darzi, September 2024 (in English)

“Extent of NHS dentist shortage revealed by in-depth BBC investigation”Ruth Green, Harriet Agerholm & Libby Rogers, BBC, August 8, 2022 (in English)

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