19.04.17
Leaders urge politicians to put NHS at forefront of general election debate
Health leaders have recently called on politicians to not shy away from their responsibility to fix the NHS as all of the UK’s major parties prepare to get on the campaign trail in preparation for the snap general election scheduled to take place on 8 June.
The call comes after the shock announcement by Theresa May yesterday that there would be another general election this year, despite the prime minister assuring the country last year that there would not be a general election until the scheduled year of 2020.
Now, organisations have stated that the imminent change in government should be used as an opportunity for the NHS to be turned around following its alleged worst winter on record.
“Health is always one of the most important issues for the people of this country and with the NHS at breaking point, having been put through one of the worst winters on record, it must be a central issue in the upcoming election,” argued Dr Mark Porter, chair of the BMA council, who said that the NHS could not be pushed to the margins in the focus on Brexit.
“Staff have ensured that we still have one of the best health services in the world, but years of underinvestment while patient demand has been rising means that it is now failing too many people, too often. Our hospitals and GP surgeries are full and social care is on its knees, with staff working under impossible conditions.”
He highlighted the effect that “crippling” funding and staff shortages had on undermining the delivery of safe care, and argued that uncertainty over the future of thousands of EU citizens who are a vital part of the NHS workforce is making the situation worse – and could become worse still.
Dr Porter also slammed the consecutive governments who were, according to him, in denial about the state of the NHS and have chosen to use the upcoming election as “political football”.
“Our health and social care systems can no longer cope without urgent action,” he concluded. “We call on politicians of all parties not to duck this crisis any longer, and instead to outline credible and sustainable plans that will safeguard the future of the fully funded and supported NHS that staff want and patients deserve.”
Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, chair of the Royal College of GPs (RCGP), also emphasised the urgent need to keep patient care at the forefront of the debate over the next seven weeks.
“Once the new government is formed, we will continue to press for the urgent delivery of all the pledges made in NHS England’s GP Forward View – and for equivalent investment in GP services in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland,” she said.
“The GP Forward View has support from across the political spectrum and promises an extra £2.4bn extra a year for general practice in England, plus 5,000 more GPs and 5,000 more members of the practice team by 2020.”
Stokes-Lampard argued that the GP Forward View offered the chance to ensure quality care for patients for years to come if it was delivered in full, adding that it does matter who wins the election as long as the new government acted to tackle issues arising from the NHS.
“Strong general practice means a stronger NHS, and regardless of the result in June, it is crucial that any future government delivers the investment and support that our family doctor service and our patients right across the UK so desperately need,” she continued.
And Jon Skewes, director for policy, employment relations and communications at the Royal College of Midwives, also said: “We want to see the next government invest in the NHS, invest in maternity services and invest in the welfare and pay of NHS staff so that they can provide safe and high-quality services for the people they care for.”
Top Image: Philip Toscano - PA Wire
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