Neighbouring hospitals would also be encouraged to pool staff and use shared waiting lists.
Labour have said they plan to cut NHS waiting lists by increasing out-of-hours across the health service.
They have pledged to invest an extra £1.1 billion to provide NHS staff overtime to work evening and weekend shifts so that extra procedures can be carried out.
Patients will be given the choice to travel to a nearby hospital to get treated on an evening or weekend, rather than wait longer.
Neighbouring hospitals would also be encouraged to pool staff and use shared waiting lists.
According to the party, it will enable the NHS to provide an extra 2 million operations, scans, and appointments in the first year.
Labour leader Keir Starmer announced the plans at the party’s annual conference in Liverpool over the weekend.
Extra capacity is urgently required.
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has responded to the plan by clarifying that out-of-hours work is already normal for many professions.
Responding to Labour’s plan, RCN Chief Nurse, Professor Nicola Ranger, said: “Too often the NHS runs on the goodwill of its staff. Nursing staff work so much overtime that is never paid – staying behind an hour or two after 12-hour shifts to keep patients safe – so a change in this culture is needed. As part of their shift patterns, weekend work is routine for many.
Professor Ranger added that a boost in the number of nursing staff would also be needed.
She explained, “Any Labour government would likely take office at a time of record unfilled nurse jobs, in excess of 40,000, and so the long-term answer is of course to have more staff overall. When many nurses already work additional full days to make ends meet financially, extra capacity is urgently required.
“Nursing staff must feel valued by fair pay and treatment – there is no other way to boost staffing levels and give patients the treatment they deserve.”
