Lib Dems consult thousands of local residents about NHS

Lib Dems consult thousands of local residents about NHS - Nicholson

October 17, 2007 5:23 PM

Local campaigner Chris Nicholson has launched a large scale inquiry into the state of the National Health Service by consulting more than 70,000 people in the Brixton, Clapham and Streatham areas.

Chris Nicholson and local Lib Dems hold up banner saying

Liberal Democrats want to end the cuts to the NHS

The inquiry aims to measure the level of satisfaction with health services in the local area. The extensive questionnaire asks for local residents' views on the state of GP's services, district hospitals and the provision of NHS dentistry in their area.

The Inquiry forms part of the Liberal Democrats, "SOS for the NHS" campaign which pledges to:

End the cuts - hospitals are under threat, staff being made

redundant and services slashed. It's no way to run the NHS and the cuts

should be halted.

Cut the waste - While services are being cut the Government is

spending millions on computer systems that have yet to deliver and botched

reforms which don't help patients.

Give people more say - Under Labour it is Government Ministers that

have all the say while local people have no say. The Lib Dems want to

see more control of the NHS in the hands of local people.

The Inquiry comes at a time when Labour has been criticised for its strategy of closing district hospitals and shutting wards in order to balance its books following deficits of £911 million in the NHS last year.

In last week's comprehensive spending review, the growth in NHS spending over the next three years was planned to slow to 4% a year, a decrease from previous years and below what was recommended by a government backed independent review of the NHS in 2002.

Chair of Streatham's NHS Inquiry team, Chris Nicholson, said:

"This inquiry will aim to sample the true state of the NHS for patients, away from government spin and manipulation."

"Although the NHS has received more funding over recent years, it's not clear whether people are getting value for their money."

"Labour has been guilty of gross mismanagement over the way the NHS is run, and we all know the Conservatives' record on health. We want to find out what local residents experience is of the NHS, rather than just hearing Labour's spin."

ENDS