Autumn Statement: Government allowing Medway’s health service to crumble

Medway Liberal Democrats have accused the Government of being ‘content with local health services crumbling’ after Wednesday’s Autumn Statement failed to provide additional funding for local health services.

Before the Autumn Statement, the party had been calling for the Chancellor to invest in a robust NHS rescue plan as ever-growing treatment backlogs have stalled the economy, damaging both growth and quality of life. These measures would have included reversing Conservative cuts to vital public health services in Medway and delivering 8,000 more GPs across the country to create 65 million more appointments every year.

It comes as the Liberal Democrats have warned that treatment backlogs are damaging economic growth. A poll commissioned by the party showed that one in seven people had taken a significant length of time off work whilst waiting for treatment on the NHS.

Apart from ignoring the crisis in our health service, the Chancellor proposed tax changes that will not ‘touch the sides’ after years of unfair tax hikes that Medway's 3 Conservative MPs have consistently voted in favour of.

Medway Liberal Democrat Spokesperson, John Castle, said:

“This Conservative Government seems completely content to sit back and allow Medway’s local health services to crumble. They are either so out of touch they cannot see how many people are struggling to access healthcare, or they simply do not care. The Autumn Statement was an opportunity to get people off NHS waiting lists and allow them to return to work so we can rescue our flatlining economy.

Instead we got empty promises, stale nonsense and a tax cut that’s not even a drop in the ocean compared to what people have already paid.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

Polling:

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.