I read with interest the latest article of on Labour’s claims that the Government is reducing NHS funding for deprived areas and specifically Sandwell.
In fact Labour is now going around with a petition called save our NHS
But I have one simple answer for Sandwell Labour, this is categorically untrue.
The Government is increasing spending on the NHS in real terms in every year of this Parliament. Indeed, the lowest any area will see its spending increase by in 2011-12 is 2.5 per cent – and this is Kingston-upon-Thames, which is not an area of high deprivation. The average across the country is 3 per cent.
In Sandwell our local area, thanks to the Government’s commitment to the NHS, spending is increasing by 3.1%.
Sadly Labour has failed to meet our commitment to increased NHS spending, either in Government or now in Opposition. Their spending plans would see the NHS cut in every area of the country, some estimates say Labour were planning to cut the NHS by £1Billion
See for yourself, by clicking on this link
But let’s look deeper at what has happened with the NHS
Remember mixed sex wards
Labour broke their promises to end mixed-sex wards. Labour’s 1997 manifesto promised: ‘As part of our concern to ensure quality, we will work towards the elimination of mixed-sex wards’ (Labour Party, General Election Manifesto 1997). The 2001 Labour Manifesto, promised: ‘Mixed-sex wards will be abolished’ (Labour Party, General Election Manifesto 2001).
One in four patients in mixed-sex wards under Labour. The Care Quality Commission reported that in Labour’s last year of government, one in four patients were still treated in mixed-sex wards (Care Quality Commission, Annual inpatient survey, 13 May 2009). Years after their promise
Over 140,000 patients a year still in mixed-sex accommodation by the time Labour left office. If the first monthly figures – published in December – were extrapolated across the year as a whole, over 140,000 patients every year suffered the indignity of mixed-sex accommodation when we took office (Department of Health Press Release, 20 January 2011,
We sorted it in 8 months
After years of failure under Labour, our Government has driven down by 90 per cent the number of hospital patients in mixed-sex wards. We introduced tough measures to scrap mixed-sex accommodation in almost all hospitals.
The NHS has done a fantastic job getting to grips with this. Single-sex accommodation is what people can now expect. By introducing greater transparency, this Government has driven down breaches by 90 per cent in eight months
Sadly Labour derided our tough action as ‘pointless’. Shadow Health Minister Liz Kendall said in January that fining hospitals which failed on mixed-sex accommodation was pointless (BBC News Online, 19 August 2011,
click on this link to see more
Also
The number of nurses in the NHS is going up, Remember MRSA, CDIF and others
We are spending money were it matters ON THE PATIENT.
The NHS is safe with us and we keep our promise!
The NHS is safe with us and we keep our promise!
Anyone would think there’s an election round the corner
Well, let's take a look at that NHS funding, shall we. The average yearly rise in the NHS's budget throughout its 63-year history has been 4%. Between 2000-01 and 2010-11, while Labour was in power, that rose to 7%. But for the next few years that increase will be, at best, 0.1% above inflation. Out of that, £3billion is being taken out to fund Lansley's top down reorganisation - remember Cameron's pre-election "watch my lips, no top down reorganisation" lies - and NHS CEO David Nicholson's instruction to NHS finance directors to make £20 billion over 4 years for 'efficiency savings'.... or redundancies as you Tories more commonly know them.
ReplyDeleteOut of the 0.1% increase £1 billion is being given to local authorities for social care, and the Kings Fund argue that the massive increase in demand from an ageing population makes a 0.1% totally inadequate to meet that demand and actually represents a real time cut in health funding.
Hello Bob, let’s do take a look at the NHS. Firstly can you confirm or deny that Labour intended to cut the NHS by £1Billion had they won the last election???
ReplyDeleteSecondly yes Labour did increase spending although the 7% you quote is arguable
the problem is if you look at staffing figures over the years it seems most of Labours spending went administration and managerial posts, when I get ill and statistically I eventually will, I would prefer to be seen by a doctor or a nurse
Your also correct we have told the NHS they must make savings but I must point out it seems the difference being, we have also told them they can keep what they save!, which will directly increase the money spent on the patients
Well your chances of being seen by a doctor or a nurse dramatically improved under Labour. With 40,000 extra doctors and 83,000 additional nurses we reduced Tory waiting lists from anything up to 3 years, to no more than 18 weeks. Figures which are already rising again under the blue and yellow Tories.
ReplyDeleteThe NHS can keep what they save... to pay the redundancy costs to those thrown back on the Tory scrapheap, and to fund Lansley's top down reorganisation of the NHS with dozens more quangos being created... Not for clinical care.
Hello bob
ReplyDeleteRedundancy costs????
Have you forgotten Labour did spend some £15 Billion more on the NHS.
It’s a pity about the computer system it went on though, that money would have helped millions of patients.
It’s just like the Fire, was that £500Million down the drain on the new control rooms
Or was I dreaming the figure?