Progress with the NHS
Posted by Ashok Kumar, MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, at 16:08, Wed 25 April 2007:
This week it was announced that South Tees Hospital NHS Trust has been named 'Top Trust of the Year' by the Good Hospital Guide. This is a notable achievement for the Trust to be proud of, and the fact that it is performing strongly comes as no surprise to me.
Many people in my constituency have expressed their satisfaction with the local health services to me over the past few years and I often read letters in the Evening Gazette from patients relaying their thanks to staff for the care they have received in local hospitals. Their good experiences are backed up by figures showing that the James Cook University Hospital is attracting patients from outside the area following its success in cutting waiting times. These plaudits stand testament to the exceptional quality of work of our NHS staff.
Additionally Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Trust recently scored highly in a staff satisfaction survey, being rated within the top 20% of mental health and learning disability trusts in the country. So in Middlesbrough and East Cleveland we have reason to be proud of our local health services.
As some of you may know next year marks the 60th anniversary of the NHS, which was created just after the Second World War by the Labour Government under Clement Attlee. There have been significant changes since its creation - for instance in 1948 food rationing was still in place following the war. However I strongly believe the underlying philosophy of the NHS remains right: that everyone should have access to quality healthcare, free at the point of need.
Over the past ten years in Government we have made the NHS a priority and the investment and corresponding improvements show that the health service is far better with Labour. In terms of funding in the last Budget the Chancellor announced an £8bn increase and we are on course to have trebled investment in the NHS since 1997 by the end of next year. The Conservatives have consistently voted against these rises.
This high level of funding has resulted in significant improvements in care. In the last decade the number of doctors working in the NHS in England has risen by over 7,500 and there are more than 40,000 extra nurses. This has helped to bring waiting lists down drastically since 1997 and by the end of 2008 no patient will wait more than 18 weeks to receive treatment.
There has been some criticism in the press of the NHS but I think this needs to be taken in perspective. The health service employs over 1 million people and has an economy equivalent to the 33rd largest country in the world - so, inevitably, some problems will arise. However it has been a long time since we have heard about winter crises in the NHS, or of patients having to wait 2 years for an operation. There is still a long way to go to get the NHS to the standard we all want, but in ten years we have undoubtedly made real progress.
One issue I am aware of is that there have been increases in charges for both telephone and television services for patients in hospitals. This is an area I am currently looking into to see the extent of the changes and what steps can be taken to prevent undue financial hardship, for those who fall ill.
Finally, Labour has this week launched a website www.betterwithlabour.co.uk/nhs to publicise its strong record on the NHS. This includes a map highlighting new facilities and staff in different areas around the country, which shows the results of our investment. There is also a personalised guide to NHS services in which you can input various details about yourself and get advice on changes you can make to become healthier.
Best wishes
Ashok
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