SOUTH Basildon and East Thurrock candidate, Mike Le-Surf, welcomes Labour’s commitment to GP services.
Before the last General Election, the Conservatives promised they would guarantee access to GPs seven days a week – in fact David Cameron made it the centrepiece of his manifesto launch in April 2010. But in Government he has not only failed to deliver on his pledge but he has made it harder to see a GP.
Now, five years later, the Conservatives are making the same pledge for their 2015 manifesto – he is trying to take the British public for fools.
Labour, by contrast, will guarantee a GP appointment within 48 hours and recruit 8,000 more GPs nationally, 900 of these in the East of England.
Mike Le-Surf, Labour’s parliamentary candidate for South Basildon and East Thurrock, said:
"Residents of South Basildon and East Thurrock have been badly let down by the Tories. Labour will recruit hundreds more GPs in every region of England, including 900 in the East of England. We have a better plan for the NHS and GP services.
"We will invest £2.5 billion extra each year from a mansion tax to recruit 8,000 more GPs and guarantee appointments within 48 hours. This will help build an NHS with time to care, that starts in people’s homes and helps keep them out of hospital.”
Andy Burnham MP, Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary, said:
"GP services have gone into freefall under this Government. David Cameron promised to put GPs at the heart of the NHS but instead caused a new GP recruitment crisis. Under his Government, it is getting harder and harder to get GP appointment as result. This cannot carry on.
“If the Tories get back in, the queues outside GP surgeries will get even worse. Their extreme plans for spending cuts will mean they won’t be able to protect the NHS. They will cut the GP budget in the next Parliament just as they have in this."
David Cameron’s promises on the NHS can’t be trusted. The truth of this Government is that they have taken the NHS backwards:
· On taking office, David Cameron scrapped Labour’s extended GP opening hours scheme.
· The number of people saying their GP surgery is not open at convenient times has risen by almost two million.
· 60 per cent of patients said they waited longer than 48 hours to see a GP.
· The Government’s own GP taskforce says “there is a GP workforce crisis”.
We know what another five years of the Tories would bring because we have seen the last five years. Their plans for extreme spending cuts in the next Parliament mean they simply wouldn’t be able to protect the NHS.
· Based on current trends, five more years of the Tories’ failing plan would mean that, by 2020, there would be over 20 million people waiting a week or more for a GP appointment or unable to get one at all
Labour has a better plan, to invest in and improve our NHS so that it has time to care for you and your family.
Labour will recruit 8,000 more GPs, paid for by a mansion tax on properties over £2 million, and we will guarantee GP appointments within 48 hours.
