A&E waiting time figures in Medway show Tories' "dismal record" on NHS
Only 83.6% of patients arriving at A&E in Medway were treated or admitted within four hours in October 2019, according to damning figures published by NHS England.
This is well below the official target of 95% of patients attending A&E being admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours.
Nationally, the 95% waiting target hasn't been met since July 2015. Only 83.6% of patients arriving at A&E across England were treated or admitted in four hours in October, the worst-ever performance since a target was introduced in 2004.
Graham Colley,Liberal Democrat Candidate for Rochester and Strood said:
"It is shameful that patients in Medway are being abandoned, be it waiting for hours for treatment in A&E or for months in pain for routine operations.
"These figures reveal the Conservatives' dismal record on the NHS. For the past four years the Tories have utterly failed to invest properly in our health service, leaving local hospitals underfunded, overstretched and understaffed.
"Their extreme Brexit would make a dismal situation worse by driving away the EU nurses the NHS desperately needs.
"The Liberal Democrats will stop Brexit and build a brighter future. We will invest an extra £35 billion in our NHS through a penny on income tax and develop a national recruitment strategy to ensure we never again suffer shortages of nurses, doctors and other health professionals."
ENDS
Notes to Editor
NHS figures can be found here:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ae-waiting-times-and-activity/ae-attendances-and-emergency-admissions-2019-20/
The Liberal Democrats will put 1p on income tax from April 2020, with the revenue ringfenced for the NHS and social care. This is forecast to raise £35.1 billion over the next five years, Liberal Democrats will ringfence £11.2 billion of that money for mental health services, over 30% of money raised.
Doctors, nurses and other health professionals from the EU do not currently have to pay any visa fees to come and work in the NHS. However, under the Conservative's Brexit plans people coming from the EU to work in our NHS would have to pay a visa fee of £464 each.
Additional Notes for Editors:
Graham Colley
Graham Colley is the President of Liberal Democrat Lawyers Association.
He was educated at Nottingham High School, University College of Wales, Aberystwyth and the College of Europe, Bruges. He has an MBA from City University (Cass) Business School and an LLM from University of Kent.
Whilst a student he helped Geraint Howells MP in Ceredigion.
After helping Simon Hughes'election in the famous Bermondsey by-election, Graham became candidate in Mid-Kent in 1987 and 1992. He was a county councillor for Medway South.
Graham has been a lifelong European activist. He set up the Aberystwyth Group for Europe, whilst at university and was a youth officer in the 1975 Referendum.
Graham was number sevenon the London list in the highly successful European Election campaign in May 2019, in which saw three Lib Dem candidates elected as MEPs.
A former Legal Aid lawyer in London and Chatham, he is now a solicitor in private practice in Rochester.
He is a member of the Lloyd George Society and has a continuing interest in Wales and is learning Welsh.
He is a keen touring cyclist and has only driven his car for 4000 miles in three years, preferring to, where possible, use train and bike.