Government “allowing Oldham’s health service to crumble” say Liberal Democrats
Liberal Democrats in Oldham have accused the Government of “allowing local health services to crumble” after the Autumn Statement failed to provide additional funding for local health services.
Oldham Liberal Democrat Leader councillor Howard Sykes said, “This government is bad for our health. They are either so out of touch that they cannot see how many people are struggling to access healthcare services, or they simply do not care.”
“There was nothing in the Chancellors’ Autumn Statement on NHS waiting lists, to fix our crumbling hospitals and fund the paramedics and nurses we need.”
“The Liberal Democrats have been calling for the Chancellor to invest in a robust NHS rescue plan. These measures would have included reversing Conservative cuts to vital public health services in Oldham and delivering 8,000 more GPs across the country to create millions more appointments every year.”
A poll commissioned by the Liberal Democrats showed that one in seven people had taken a significant length of time off work whilst waiting for treatment on the NHS.
Councillor Sykes said, “The backlogs and never-ending waiting lists have a huge impact on people’s quality of life. It affects people’s ability to go to work and that can be extremely worrying for families with the cost-of-living crisis still raging.”
“We are in the middle of another extremely difficult winter for our NHS, the Government has wasted this opportunity to turn things around.”
NOTES
Polling methodology: Savanta interviewed 2,235 UK adults aged 18+ online between 10th and 13th November 2023. Data were weighted to be representative of the UK by age, sex, region and social grade. Full details here.
Which of the following have you experienced in the last year? Base: All respondents who are currently working (n=1,305)
Unable to go to work as waiting for GP appointment – 19%
Unable to go to work as waiting for emergency dental appointment – 12%
Took a lengthy period off work whilst waiting for NHS treatment or surgery – 15%
Don’t know – 4%
None of these – 60%
NET: Any – 36%
Liberal Democrats are calling for an emergency funding boost for the NHS and social care including:
Delivering 8,000 more GPs to create 65 million more appointments every year.
Urgently reforming NHS dentistry to end dental deserts and DIY dentistry.
Giving the NHS 200 new radiotherapy machines and training 3,400 extra cancer nurses.
Preparing for urgent pressures this winter to avoid a new crisis, with an immediate boost to NHS staffed hospital bed capacity and ambulance services.
Tackling the black hole in adult and children’s social care services and giving care workers a proper pay rise.
Reversing Conservative cuts to vital public health services in local communities, such as children’s health services and drug and alcohol services.
Proper mental health support, by rolling out community walk-in centres for children and young people and providing every school with a qualified mental health practitioner.