23Sep 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Liberal Democrats believe social care will be a Cinderella service if transferred to NHS

Liberal Democrats believe social care will be a Cinderella service if transferred to NHS

Borough news, Campaigns
The Oldham Liberal Democrats are concerned that social care will become a secondary priority if transferred from local authority control to the National Health Service. At present, local authorities, like Oldham Council, take the primary role in providing a care service to elderly, disabled and vulnerable residents living at home, but Conservative ministers are rumoured to be considering transferring this responsibility to the NHS. Liberal Democrat Group Leader, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, said: “I know from recent personal experience that the National Health Service with its excellent medical facilities and dedicated staff do a wonderful job, but, the NHS does so many things and is such a large organisation, that I really fear that social care in its hands would become a Cinderella service, at the bottom of the rung…
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16Sep 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Liberal Democrats lambast Tories over three-year Social Care bill delay

Liberal Democrats lambast Tories over three-year Social Care bill delay

Borough news
The Oldham Liberal Democrats have lambasted the Conservative Government for delaying once again their long-awaited proposals to overhaul the social care system. Details are not expected to now be released until the Chancellor Rishi Sunak's Autumn Statement at the earliest; this is scheduled for late November. The Conservatives first promised to publish a Green Paper on social care for public consultation in the summer of 2017. This is now more than three years behind schedule. Commenting, Liberal Democrat Leader Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, said: “This extra delay is yet another example of the prevarication shown by this uncaring Conservative Government in making policy about the future of our under-threat social care system. Due to consistent underfunding of local government and the National Health Service, the provision of quality care to…
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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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13Aug 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Record NHS waiting lists point to another health crisis, Lib Dems warn

Parliamentary news
Responding to official statistics publishing this morning which reveal that NHS England waiting lists are the longest since records began, Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson Munira Wilson MP said: “Waiting times were at a record high before the pandemic and now, alongside worryingly low cancer referrals, they are through the roof. There is another health crisis looming in the UK and people will be rightly worried for their loved ones. “With our health and care services facing an almighty backlog, we need urgent action. The Government must step up with a clear plan on how people will get the treatment they need, including an urgent recruitment strategy, or risk more lives being lost."
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22Jun 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Mark Windrush Day by giving the right to remain to all NHS workers, Lib Dems say

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats are marking Windrush Day by renewing calls on the Government to give all NHS and social care workers who have worked in the UK during the coronavirus pandemic indefinite leave to remain. Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Christine Jardine urged Ministers to make clear by backing these calls that “those who have put their lives at risk for our country are welcome to live in it.” The Royal College of Nursing are also calling for reform, citing statistics from the Nursery and Midwifery Council which shows more than 10% of the total registered nursing workforce in the UK come from overseas. Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Christine Jardine said: “Thousands of the doctors, nurses and support staff who work in our NHS – the people on the…
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08Jun 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Government failing NHS staff and care workers

Parliamentary news
Responding to reports that NHS trusts were not consulted over new face coverings rule, Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said: “This is yet another betrayal by the Government of the NHS and care staff who are putting their lives on the line every single day.  “Why is the Secretary of State prioritising press conference announcements over consultation with NHS staff? Now we face a situation where our stretched and under-resourced NHS is having to adapt to these new measures without appropriate warning and still without the full guidance being published. “When the nation pulls through from this crisis, Boris Johnson and his Government will have a number of questions to answer about why they have blindsided NHS staff and care workers. “A public inquiry cannot come soon…
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22May 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Migrant NHS & social care workers must be given must be given right to remain

Parliamentary news
Responding to reports that the Government has u-turned and will exempt NHS and care staff from paying the Immigration Health Surcharge, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Christine Jardine said: “This is a positive step from the Government but the PM must go further. All migrants working in the NHS & social care during this crisis should be given the right to stay in the UK, with no visa fees and no bureaucracy. “Thousands of NHS and care workers from around the world have made huge sacrifices and put themselves in danger for us. It should be unthinkable that the Home Office would ever force them to leave the country they have served so well.  “MPs from across Parliament who managed to pressure the Government into the exemption must now focus their attention on .giving these heroes the right…
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21May 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

New stats show damaging impact of Priti Patel’s nasty immigration rhetoric

Parliamentary news
Responding to today’s migration figures from the Office of National Statistics, which show that the number of EU citizens coming to work in the UK has fallen to its lowest level since 2004, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Christine Jardine said: “Now more than ever, we should be celebrating the enormous contributions that workers from all over the world make to our NHS and social care. We should welcome those who want to come here and be part of rebuilding Britain. But the nasty rhetoric from Priti Patel and her Conservative colleagues has made too many EU citizens feel unwelcome in the UK. “That is both shameful and hugely damaging to our economy, our society and our public services. With the NHS facing a shortage of 40,000 nurses and social care also…
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13Apr 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Test of Government funding is how quickly cash reaches NHS and councils

Parliamentary news
Responding to the Chancellor's announcement of additional funding for the NHS and local authorities, Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said: “The coronavirus crisis is stretching our NHS and local councils to the limit so this crisis cash injection has been urgently needed for several weeks. “Yet it’s vital this cash gets out much more quickly than normal and reaches the right places - especially in getting protective equipment to NHS and social care staff and assisting local authorities in supporting the most vulnerable, from the frail elderly to the homeless and domestic abuse victims. “Council leaders have been understandably sceptical about Ministers’ willingness to support local communities with vital early, substantial cash injections. “The test of this announcement is whether councils see the money they need now,…
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