PM to make major NHS announcement in pivotal conference speech

Sir Keir Starmer will today announce a major overhaul of the NHS, promising an “online hospital” that will deliver millions of extra appointments and help cut long waiting times, as he outlines his vision for a “fairer” Britain.

In his keynote address to the Labour Party conference, the prime minister will set out plans for the digital service – NHS Online – to launch in 2027.

Politics Hub: Follow the PM’s speech from 2pm

The platform will allow patients to access prescriptions, book scans and tests, receive clinical advice, and manage appointments through the NHS app.

Labour claim the initiative will provide up to 8.5 million extra NHS appointments in its first three years. It will also let patients schedule in-person procedures at local hospitals, surgical hubs or diagnostic centres, reducing delays.

Describing the move as “a new chapter in the story of our NHS”, Sir Keir will say it marks the beginning of a technological revolution in healthcare.

Speaking ahead of the prime minister’s address, Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the NHS faces an “existential threat” if it fails to modernise, and vowed Labour would embrace new technologies to secure its future.

“Our health service and our social care services need to change with the times,” he said.

Country standing at a ‘fork in the road’

Sir Keir’s announcement comes at a pivotal moment for the prime minister, as he will use his address at 2pm to rally a divided party and set out his vision for national renewal.

He will urge voters to reject what he calls the “politics of grievance” promoted by Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, and instead unite around a shared sense of “dignity and respect”.

The prime minister will argue that the country stands at a “fork in the road”, facing a choice between “renewal or decline”.

“Britain stands at a fork in the road. We can choose decency. Or we can choose division,” he will say.

Sir Keir will cast the challenge ahead as comparable to the challenges faced by the post-war government of former Labour prime minister Clement Attlee, calling it a fight for “the soul of our country”.

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Mounting challenges for Labour

The speech also comes amid mounting political headwinds, with polls showing Reform continuing to attract support from disillusioned voters.

At the same time, Labour faces growing pressure to deliver on its promises around tax, immigration, and public spending – and expectations of a difficult budget in November.

Sir Keir is expected to acknowledge that the path to national renewal won’t be easy, warning of “decisions that will not always be comfortable for our party”.

Despite recent speculation over his leadership, sparked in part by criticism from Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, Sir Keir appears determined to reassert his authority.

But the Conservatives have already dismissed his speech before delivery, with party chairman Kevin Hollinrake claiming: “Keir Starmer calls this a fork in the road, but he’s already driven Britain into a cul-de-sac of chaos.”

Ahead of Sir Keir’s speech, cabinet members will also address the conference in Liverpool.

Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander, and Mr Streeting will all speak.

On Monday, 10 cabinet ministers addressed the conference from the main stage, including Chancellor Rachel Reeves, who argued Reform present a threat to the economy.