My mission for Southend West and Leigh is for a happier, healthier and fairer future for all.
This month I want to talk about Labour’s plans to fix the NHS, making everyone healthier.
We all know that the NHS is broken, but I want to assure you, we will fix it. For too long, patients have been let down, stuck on NHS waiting lists, unable to get the care and support they so desperately need.
We have been left a terrible legacy by the Conservative Government, with waiting lists at more than 7.5 million. This government is committed to 92% of patients receiving their first treatment within 18 weeks of referral.
Although the numbers have fallen on waiting lists in Southend since we came into government and took immediate action, they are still 6% lower than the national average for being seen within 18 weeks.
Our A&E figures for discharging or finding a bed for patients within four hours are 5% lower than the national average, and we are catching up with achieving cancer diagnoses within 28 days, but we still lag 2% behind the national average.
Figures are moving in the right direction, but there’s a lot more to do.
Budget Investment and Reform
At the Budget, Labour made nearly £26 billion available to the health and care system over two years, but that investment will only deliver if it is linked to reform.
The Plan for Reform
We aim to increase the use of Community Diagnostic Centres so that many more people will be able to access tests and checks closer to home.
By opening these centres on high streets 12 hours a day, seven days a week, patients will be able to arrange their tests and scans for when they go to do their weekend shopping, rather than being forced to take time out of work.
We will increase the number of surgical hubs, which help protect planned care from the impact of seasonal and other pressures.
And we will improve the availability of same-day tests and consultations so that patients don’t have to wait for weeks in between different stages of care.
Our Ten-Year Plan for the NHS
We have set out how we plan to reform elective care to achieve this:
- Free up appointments by getting rid of pointless follow-ups and consultations.
- Open Community Diagnostic Centres on evenings and weekends.
- Avoid unnecessary admissions by incentivising GPs to treat patients in the community.
- Establish one-stop clinics where patients can be assessed, diagnosed, or reviewed on the same day.
- Give patients more control over how and when they receive treatment.
- Revolutionise the NHS App to improve and speed up care and prevent missed appointments.
Looking Ahead
In 2025, we will begin to see our investment in the NHS bear fruit and make a real difference to our health services here in Southend West and Leigh, putting us on a path towards a first-rate service for all.
I will continue to work closely with our NHS teams across all settings as we transform for the future.
By David Burton-Sampson
MP for Southend West & Leigh
david.burtonsampson.mp@parliament.uk