21Mar 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
A real-terms pay cut is an insult to NHS workers

A real-terms pay cut is an insult to NHS workers

Parliamentary news
Liberal Democrats have pressed the Government to give NHS workers a proper pay rise during an emergency motion passed at the party's Spring Conference. Munira Wilson MP, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Health, Social Care and Wellbeing, welcomed the motion being passed: “A real-terms pay cut is an insult to all the NHS workers who have gone above and beyond during this time of national crisis. “This Government seems obsessed with wasting millions of pounds on vanity projects yet can’t find a penny more to give nurses a proper pay rise. What kind of Prime Minister prioritises a new multi-million pound press conference room and expensive flat renovation at the expense of giving nurses a pay rise? "The Liberal Democrats will continue to stand up for nurses and frontline workers who…
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05Mar 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
NHS staff deserve real-terms pay rise

NHS staff deserve real-terms pay rise

Parliamentary news
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Health and Social Care Munira Wilson MP is calling for a real-terms pay rise for NHS workers after going above and beyond in a national crisis: “A real-terms pay cut is an insult to all the NHS workers who have gone above and beyond during this time of national crisis. They are burned out, traumatised, and stressed after over a year caring for hundreds of thousands of severely ill Covid patients. On top of this, they have worked tirelessly to get as many people vaccinated as efficiently and as safely as possible. "Many of us and our loved ones have seen first-hand the hard work and sacrifice that NHS staff have made - not only nurses, but everyone who has kept our hospitals and clinics running.…
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06Feb 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Our pledge to make Oldham Borough “healthier, greener and cleaner”

Our pledge to make Oldham Borough “healthier, greener and cleaner”

Borough news
The Oldham Liberal Democrats will be proposing in their amendment to Labour’s 2021-22 Council Budget measures to make Oldham a ‘Healthier, Greener and Cleaner’ Borough. They have found cash to invest in: three much needed new health centres for Shaw and Crompton, Saddleworth, and Chadderton;make Oldham Council greener and more energy efficient;improve pavements;and tackle speeding, anti-social behaviour, fly-tipping and dog-fouling across communities. The Deputy Leader of the Opposition, and Shadow Cabinet Member for Finance and the Green agenda, Councillor Chris Gloster, will be first presenting the Liberal Democrat’s Budget Amendment to the Council’s Performance and Value for Money Committee when it meets on 9 February, for pre Council scrutiny before tabling it for consideration by the Full Council when it debates the budget on 4 March. Over the next five…
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03Oct 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
New stats demand wellbeing be addressed at heart of Government

New stats demand wellbeing be addressed at heart of Government

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats have called for the appointment of a Minister for Wellbeing and new wellbeing assessments to make sure laws “empower people to live healthier lives.” The call comes in response to new statistics which reveal increasing anxiety and depression among young women aged 16 to 24 years while only half of young people said they were satisfied with their health.  Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson Munira Wilson said: "The impact of poor and overcrowded housing, insecure employment and our broken welfare system on the mental health and wellbeing of young people is blindingly clear.  "People deserve better. When we think about the future, it’s clear that going 'back to normal' is not an option. It is time to re-boot and re-think the way we live our lives. "Wellbeing must be a…
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28Sep 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Lib Dems condemn health inequalities “exposed in technicolour” by Covid crisis

Lib Dems condemn health inequalities “exposed in technicolour” by Covid crisis

Parliamentary news
In her first keynote address as Liberal Democrat Health, Wellbeing and Social Care spokesperson Munira Wilson condemned the health inequalities “exposed in technicolour” through the COVID-19 crisis, and call for a Minister for Wellbeing to ensure that Government decisions are “fundamentally in keeping with health and wellbeing.” She said: “The coronavirus has not just laid bare the fundamental problems facing our NHS and care sectors, it has exposed in technicolour the health inequalities facing the UK, and shown us why we need to rethink the way we see healthcare as a whole.  “We have seen the impact of poor and overcrowded housing, insecure employment and our broken welfare system on not just our physical health, but also our mental health and wellbeing.   “We have seen those health inequalities play…
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16Sep 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Liberal Democrat Leader says all’s not well with Health and Well-being Board

Liberal Democrat Leader says all’s not well with Health and Well-being Board

Borough news
Oldham Council’s Health and Well-being Board has failed to meet four times in the last twelve months, and Liberal Democrat Group Leader, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, who is a member, is not impressed. Councillor Sykes has written to Board Chair, Councillor Jean Stretton, to point out this represents a serious democratic deficit especially when the Health and Well-being Board is charged with providing oversight to social care and NHS services.   Councillor Sykes says that: “At a time when Oldham Borough is in the grip of an unprecedented health crisis, I cannot believe that the Board has no business – pressing or otherwise to consider.” His hope is that the Chair will agree that the Board should: “not be side-lined, meetings should be held, and the issues faced, addressed and debated.”
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01Sep 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Bill introduced to give health and care workers right to remain

Bill introduced to give health and care workers right to remain

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats will today introduce a Bill calling on the Government to offer indefinite leave to remain to foreign nationals currently working in the health and social care sectors.Home Affairs Spokesperson Christine Jardine, who is moving the Ten Minute Rule Bill, has warned it is unacceptable that people who put their lives on the line during Covid-19 should not be welcome to stay. The Liberal Democrats have secured cross-party support from Labour, Conservative, SNP, Green, Plaid, DUP and Alliance MPs. Ahead of the Bill’s reading on Tuesday, Ms Jardine said: “Foreign nationals in the NHS have been on the frontline in protecting us from Covid-19, putting themselves at risk and in many cases paying the ultimate price. “Their skills have been vital to all of us throughout this crisis. The least we can do now…
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18Aug 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Rise in depression demands urgent action

Parliamentary news
Responding to figures from the ONS that shows the number of adults experiencing depression has nearly doubled, Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson Munira Wilson said: “We have all seen the toll lockdown has taken. The scale and seriousness of the rise in depression over the last few months is extremely worrying.  “Ministers must act now. The Liberal Democrats are calling on the Government to urgently develop a cross-departmental mental health plan to improve mental wellbeing for those impacted by the pandemic, including more funding and clearly-signposted support for every community. “Whilst we can hope to get a grip on COVID-19 in the coming months, the mental health impacts will last a lifetime. We must ensure no-one slips through the net as the scale of the mental health impact of this crisis…
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18Aug 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Decision to scrap PHE shows Govt has got its priorities “all wrong”

Decision to scrap PHE shows Govt has got its priorities “all wrong”

Parliamentary news
Responding to news that the Health Secretary has confirmed the decision to scrap Public Health England, Liberal Democrat Health, Wellbeing and Social Care spokesperson Munira Wilson said: “Scrapping the body at the heart of our public health response in the middle of a global pandemic is yet another reminder that this Government has got its priorities all wrong. “This move risks worsening health inequalities and it's not clear the Health Secretary has thought through who will take over vital PHE functions. Ministers are seeking to deflect the blame before the crisis is even behind us. They must take us for fools if they think people won't see through this decision. “Many people will also be shocked by the lack of transparency around the decision to promote Tory insider Dido Harding…
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17Aug 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Plummeting health visitor numbers demand action, Lib Dems warn

Plummeting health visitor numbers demand action, Lib Dems warn

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats have called for an "emergency recruitment strategy" for frontline workers after revealing a third of health visitors across hospital trusts and clinical commissioning groups have been cut since 2015. Liberal Democrat MP Daisy Cooper, who uncovered the figures through a written parliamentary question, warned cutting such vital preventative services is "letting vulnerable children down" and "costing the tax-payer more in the long-run." In response to Daisy Cooper, junior Conservavtive Health Ministers Jo Churchill confirmed responsibility for commissioning of health visiting services transferred to local authorities in October 2015. Across England, health visitors work mainly with children from birth to five years, their families and at-risk or deprived groups such as the homeless, addicts or travellers. As of March this year, there were 6,828 full-time equivalent health visitors working in hospital trusts and…
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