My dad was born in July 1948, one of the first NHS babies thanks to the newly created National Health Service, a proud achievement of the Labour government of the day.
Since then he, and every generation since, have been able to enjoy world leading healthcare free at the point of use. Having worked with Save the Children in places where basic healthcare comes at a price, I will never forget seeing children suffer from preventable diseases like cholera that in the UK we’ve consigned to the history books with our brilliant NHS.
But today the NHS faces the worst crisis in its history. Whether it’s waiting for a GP appointment, waiting for an operation or waiting for an ambulance, people are waiting too long and lives are the cost. 24 Hours in A&E used to be a TV show but now it’s the grim reality for too many waiting in pain.
When our family had experience of waiting too long for an ambulance, I collected data on how long people across Hastings and Rye are waiting. The figures I uncovered show the scale of the crisis our local ambulance service is facing. Some of the delays were most acute in the east of our constituency with people in Rye, Winchelsea and other rural parts of Rother waiting too long. For category 2 emergency callouts, which include suspected strokes and heart attacks, NHS guidelines state that patients should wait on average 18 minutes. In March 2022, people in Rother were left waiting for almost an hour on average – 52 minutes for a category 2 emergency callout. Having been at the end of a Facetime call with my dad while he waited for an ambulance, I know how hard that wait would feel.
Since I launched my campaign on local ambulance waits, hundreds of residents have told us their stories. One woman told me her dad in Camber waited over three hours after having a stroke. Her story is not uncommon. One man stopped me in the street to explain how difficult it was working as a local paramedic. It is brilliant paramedics like him as well as our nurses and doctors who are being put in impossible situations unable to deliver the quality of care they are proudly trained to deliver. What an indictment of this government’s record that our nurses and paramedics are forced to go on strike because ministers refused to even get around the negotiating table.
Given the impact this crisis is having on people across Hastings and Rye, I was shocked to see absolutely no mention of our health service in our Conservative MP’s reflection on 2022 published on these pages last week. Her party have long been in denial about the emergency we are in, and simply blame the pandemic. But the evidence is clear. This is a Conservative crisis, not a Covid crisis that has been thirteen years in the making. Between 2010 and 2019 elective waiting lists doubled, before Covid hit. The Conservative’s failure to fix social care means thousands of patients who are medically fit to be discharged remain stranded, leaving hospitals like the Conquest gridlocked. And the Conservatives have failed to train enough nurses and doctors, leaving record staff shortages and increasing staff burnout.
It is Conservative mismanagement that is the problem, and a Labour government will sort it out. We will train a new generation of NHS staff, paid for by abolishing the non-dom tax status, so the NHS has the workforce it desperately needs. Labour will put patients first and enable them to easily book appointments to see the doctor they want – whether it’s face-to-face, over the phone, or online. We will make the NHS fit for the future, so it delivers better care for the patient and better value for the taxpayer. Prevention is better than cure, so we will harness modern technology to diagnose patients earlier and treat them sooner. More doctors, more nurses, shorter waiting times, and better care. That’s the difference a Labour government will make. And don’t just take my word for it, judge us on our record during the last Labour government as detailed by the Financial Times.
As the Labour MP for Hastings and Rye, I will work tirelessly to ensure our corner of East Sussex gets the attention and resources it needs. As Chris Witty’s report revealed, our area has extreme health inequalities. A man born in St Leonards will live on average eleven years less than a man born in Crowborough. Instead of focussing resources where the need is greatest, our local NHS is currently planning to downgrade cardiology services at the Conquest and move services to Eastbourne. As local doctors have pointed out, it’s another example of this government levelling down our health service and we will only stop it with a Member of Parliament who will fight our corner at Westminster. I won’t let you down.
Get in touch with your experiences of the local NHS at www.helenadollimore.com.
Image Credits: Geoff Wilson , John-Burn Murdoch/FT .
From 2005-2009 I was a consulting clinical health psychologist in Sussex Partnership NHS Trust based in Eastbourne but also seeing service users in St Leonard’s. My clinical speciality areas for the trust were cardiology and chronic pain. From 2009-2019 I trained doctoral level clinical psychologists for the NHS with our patch being all of Kent and Medway, East Sussex and south of the Thames from Lewiston westward. I write all this to say that I have had the opportunity to visit different NHS trusts and specific clinical sites that serve over 2 million people.
Up until 2010 there was a sense of positivity in the NHS with good levels of funding, high quality continuing professional development, new service development and significant reductions in wait times and more access to medical and healthcare services overall. Not a panacea by any means but continued improvement and real attention to local community needs. But even then the services in Eastbourne and Hastings were not equally distributed and did not regularly consider the different needs of local populations. Over the past decade there has, sadly, been a systematic weakening of the NHS. Badly needed new facilities have not been built and rehabilitation of older hospitals has been minimal or nonexistent. And while new medical schools have opened, including one based at Kent and Canterbury Christ Church universities in 2020, there has been a chipping away of staff morale, promotion opportunities, professional development offerings and massive reductions of nursing and allied health professionals. We left the EU and a source of many professional staff and now recruit from poorer countries robbing them of much needed healthcare professionals.
Whilst the Covid crisis has taken a toll, the problem began long before Covid. Just look at hospitals and medical care in Germany, France, Switzerland, the Netherlands, to name a few. There are not problems getting ambulances, they are not facing staffing crises in nursing, medicine or applied health, and they have workforces that are not leaving their respective professions because they are burnt out from lack of support.
My personal feeling has been that many but not all Conservative politicians and thus the Conservative governments we have had for 12+ years are ambivalent about a national health service. They seem to have no problem with private healthcare but offering a high quality national service supported fully by the government is much less of a priority. A country cannot function well with a health service in crisis. This should not be about the party in power but a shared consensus across the political spectrum. If we don’t demand more from this or future governments we are all losers and there will be unnecessary suffering and a higher death toll.
I agree. This time a year ago I went into the Conquest for a cancer op. I’m told I nearly died. What struck me then though was the lack of British staff.
Many had walked after the NHS and other public services paid the bill for the banking crisis in the 80s for year after year, and pay and conditions got worse and worse. The Tories hate the public sector and from the 80s onwards sought to move more and more public services into private hands – starting with British Telecom before and after the Falklands war.
The only obstacle was that even the Americans had a system of controls to protect the public, but year by year the Tories have sought to weaken the powers of bodies like Ofwat (based on US practice and fought for by the British Telecom unions in the 80s) – which is supposed to supervise public water services – such as the sewage in our rivers and the sea, and frequent failures in delivery as pipes crumble etc etc.
The industrial action now reflects sustained attacks by the Tories ever since the end of World War Two when (briefly in a post war situation) public services were supported.
Yes, I’m sure public services need to reflect changing situations (and after covid perhaps more people who can are working more from home) but that is not what is going on – and has been going on.
I’ve been reading a book (Everything is True by R. Farooki) about the start of covid and the lack of safe protective clothing.
I was then Editor of Rye News and I was baffled by seeing regular press releases from the trade body of British garment manfuctuers saying “Why aren’t we being asked to help ?”. And, at the time, one of my daughters was working in intensive care as a consultant – and I was scared stiff.
There is now a public inquiry into such questions but, like the Notting Hill Grenfell Tower Inquiry (many dead), it will drag on with what results ? And how long will it drag on for ?
I worked in Whitehall for many years and I’m familiar with the “long grass” syndrome. Difficult stuff gets kicked into the long grass….and gets lost. That’s what happened to the Leveson inquiry into bad behaviour by the Press.
But I nearly died twice last year in the Conquest (I was told by doctors) and the Health Service (and other public services) are all suffering from deliberate neglect since the banking crisis in the 80s…. and that is why staff are out on strike.
I suspect that people who live in Rye and Hastings, and rely on The Conquest and local GPs, won’t need to be told things are in turmoil. On my last trip to A&E, the computer system had crashed, and staff were gallantly taking admission notes with a pen and paper. Personally, I’ve actually forgotten how long I’ve been waiting for an appointment at The Conquest, post referral, so I’m still none the wiser about what’s ailing me. Probably nothing much, but I jokingly asked Rye Medical Centre to pass on the Coroner’s notes to my next of kin, if they precede my appointment!
But it’s no joke, of course. We all appreciate Ms Dollimore’s aggrieved expression and messages of solidarity, but there isn’t going to be a quick fix for the NHS, and it’s disingenuous to suggest there will be. No party can wave a magic wand and ‘solve’ the problems, bcs after austerity, cuts, Covid and Brexit, things are too far gone…
Ending Non-Dom Tax status is a good idea (one Lib Dems were talking about back in 2008) but it will raise about £3bn according to the LSE, which will just about cover the NHS’s admin bill according to The King’s Fund estimate of last year. (The NHS’s entire budget is about £190bn, by the way.)
What is more intriguing to me is what Sir Keir Starmer and Wes Streeting are signalling this weekend with their talk of “reform” and further private sector involvement in the NHS. The NHS can barely keep its head above water, let alone embark on reforms… What worries me is that we’re failing to frame the debate honestly. ‘Private’ isn’t a panacea. Not only is it not always superior care (https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/nhs-privatisation-health-social-care-treatable-deaths/ ), it’s not necessarily value for money in terms of the public purse. If publicly-trained doctors are clearing NHS backlogs in private hospitals at the expense of the tax-payer, that seems utterly absurd. Moreover, private patients effectively pay twice. Once through taxation and once at point of use. Additionally, we can’t increase staffing levels overall by merely training new staff if we don’t also retain experienced staff. And that all costs money, which means Labour would have to solve the exact same problems the Conservatives are so ham-fistedly confronting now. It won’t be solved in the lifetime of a single administration, we need longer-term plans and we need some consensus. So let’s by all means have a grown up conversation about the NHS, but let’s not pretend Labour, or any other party, can cure the patient the day after the next election.
I agree with Guy Harris that there’s no easy answer. A political party has to reform and radically change the NHS. Throwing money at the problem wouldn’t solve it. The NHS is the largest employer in Europe and one of the largest in the world. Cutting the layers of bureaucracy and taking responsibility for the costs of equipment, medicines and waste within this monolithic organisation is of paramount importance.
In response to Guy Harris’ point about Keir Starmer and Wes Streeting’s proposals to use private healthcare (and as someone who has worked in health and social care for almost 30 yrs I didn’t imagine myself saying this) but as I understand the proposals, I fully support them. The proposal is to use the existing private wards present in almost every NHS hospital to address the backlog of operations. Many people aren’t aware that your local hospital also has private facilities staffed often by the same nurse and medics who work on NHS wards. Labour’s proposal is to buy up this kind of capacity to get people treated quicker. They will need to use strategies such as this, imaginative, non ideological if they are to make any impact at all on this crisis which as Helena Dollimore identifies has been manufactured by a succession of ideologically driven Conservative governments whose contempt for our NHS and Social Care is now evident for all to see.
As someone who works in social care and health I wish you could only appreciate the dedication and responsiveness all of our public services have shown in responding to this relentless and for patients, dangerous ongoing crisis. Our public sector employees including yes, many managers are imaginative, fleet of foot, budget conscious and highly professional and we are all doing as good a job as we can within a fatally broken system. Anything that arrives from central government is almost always ridiculously bureaucratic, late, incoherent, aimed at political rather than people centred solutions and in the case of intended reforms (social care charging anyone?) despite years of preparation is delayed, cancelled, altered at the last minute etc etc.
As a final point, private healthcare is already regularly used by the NHS and has been for years. If a local hospital can’t provide for someone’s needs their care can be bought in the private sector following a process involving local health managers. This often happens in mental health services, it’s not a new thing. What would be new would be the proposal to treat GP’s like other employees of the NHS rather than businesses who contract with the NHS. I can’t see how this is controversial in the least.
Interesting, but somewhat predictable views on national politics. I suspect one’s view very much depend on one’s political affiliation, although there is no shortage of things to criticize. I would be much more interested in understanding what we can do within the constraints of the economy – other than to vote for one or the other party or candidate.
Much closer to home, it would be even more interesting to have views on what we in Rye can do for our town. There is going to be elections to the town council in May and although it has very few direct powers, it can, in my view, have considerable influencing power. I would invite views for what the new town council should focus on for the nest 4 years.
Vagn, is right to remind residents of forthcoming elections, and having changed from being Conservative several years ago I feel We have to get the main political parties to talk to each other on our main services, health, transport, and housing. They may individually have a policy, but THAT is not a plan.
I am frustrated that The Labour Party, led by Keir Starmer, an intelligent person, has little to say of the ongoing strikes, the number of them, and being supporters of The Labour Party make me conclude they have political connotations.
Personally, I think everyone should have a fair salary, and we hear dire stories, but for goodness sake consider inflation. A final comment, the fact that ALL those on strike have a pension which many employees in the private sector cannot afford. Covid, and Putins war have been a major cost factor to Government finances.
The widespread industrial action we saw on 1st Feb is a really complex situation, but personally, I think it’s about an awful lot more than wages.
A couple of things are worth saying at the top, the soaring inflation we are now experiencing is nothing to do with public sector wage claims and everything to do with a disease and a dictator. That’s why inflation is rising globally, not just locally.
It’s perhaps unsurprising then that numerous economic experts have stated that increasing public sector wages is unlikely to feed domestic inflation – unlike private sector wages, which feed more directly into input costs and thus consumer prices. (Better wages might enhance spending and consumption, and fend off recessionary forces, one might add).
The economists’ assessments directly contradicts what the Government alleges. The Govt. are merrily peddling the language of 1970s industrial relations, which many of their voters recall and relate to. I don’t begrudge my parents their Triple Locked pension for a second, they’ve slaved their whole lives – but I do wonder why other’s living standards can’t be guaranteed too. Is it a simple political calculation?
What’s certain is that industrial relations have changed in half a century. This isn’t about the power of unions, which have far less members and far less bargaining power today. This is about austerity, international prices and a healthy helping of government incompetence and intransigence. The broader context of wealth inequality, huge corporate profits, perceived political cronyism and graft, is also a motivating factor in creating what is effectively a social stand-off between those doing well and those doing far less well. That’s why the rhetoric of union leaders like Mick Lynch is beginning to resonate so powerfully with some – it would cast no such spell if people were content. Love him or hate him, but the comments on dozens of threads tell you many working people feel he speaks more pointedly and more eloquently to the concerns of working people than do the Shadow cabinet. Perhaps that’s why union membership is rising?
In a cost of living crisis, with prices rising faster than wages, it’s hardly surprising that people want to try to balance household budgets by demanding pay rises. The fact that you might be able to draw on a modest pension in your dotage probably doesn’t change today’s calculus.
However, the understanding that many public sector workers have very good cause to seek higher wages and to try to protect their working practices doesn’t mean industrial action isn’t hugely disruptive – and often downright annoying. Personally, we had to cancel a rail journey to London, and occupy two fractious, energy-consuming children who were off school. I know friends who had even more frustrating experiences. If one perceives the strikes to be a confrontation between feckless blue collar Bolshies and a financially competent, moderate, reasonable government who are simply doing their level best to keep a flourishing, just society on the rails, then you’re likely to be incandescent with rage that the country’s being ‘held to ransom’. If you don’t have that perspective, you are probably more sad than angry…
Either way, we shouldn’t have arrived at a position where ordinary working people feel so let down by political parties and governments that their only recourse is to strike – to their own financial detriment, remember. When we reach this scale of discontent, the consequences mean that everybody loses. As a nation, we need to get back to a place where there are a lot more winners than losers.
The NHS has many executives paid considerable sums through individual Health Authorities, which if up to date technology was to be used could be consolidated saving money to improve conditions for staff. Operations should be carried out at weekends.
Putting more money into an existing structure, with an increased population is not the answer. We all have a responsibility to keep appointments made. Individual MP’s need to look at their local hospitals, get feedback from local people and staff and consider weakness’s and strong points. we do not need enquires, which take Years, and which at their finish show millions spent for what?
MP’s need to come together, to fix our NHS, which has had issues going back to the time of Tony Blair and beyond, yes, waiting times then were month’s, nothing has changed in that respect.