00:00Open.
00:04I'm really pleased with today's news about waiting lists.
00:08They fell by 86,000 in November, the second biggest fall in a single month in 15 years.
00:15And when you think about the fact that was achieved against the backdrop of winter and five days of strike action,
00:21it gives me every confidence that while it's going to be hard and challenging to hit that deadline we set for ourselves,
00:28cutting NHS waiting times from 18 months we inherited to the 18-week NHS standard, it can be done and I'm determined to do it.
00:37At the same time, as there's this good news, I also want people to know that I know there are people on trolleys in corridors in hospitals.
00:45I know there are still too many people waiting too long.
00:48And I'll do everything I can, wasting not a single minute to make sure that week by week, month by month, year on year, the NHS is improving.
00:56It is on the road to recovery, but there's a lot more for me to do and I'm going to do it.
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