Call for Commission to deal with Health & Care Crisis

by
8th January 2016

Liberal Democrats are calling for a cross-party commission into health and social care. 

Local Lib Dem health spokesperson Councillor Tony Dawson says:

“The system at the moment is creaking at the seams. There is evidence that both the NHS and Local Councils are trying to offload thee cost of caring for seriously ill patients onto each other.

The proposal by Lib Dem MP Norman Lamb has already gained support from former Conservative and Labour Health Secretaries Stephen Dorrell and Alan Milburn. The Lib Dems believe that  only a full non-partisan commission will properly deal with the crisis in health and social care.

The Call has been backed by  “NHS Survival” – a group of 8,000 doctors, patients and and members of the public who are committed to ensuring the survival of the UK health service.

Councillor Tony Dawson explains:

“This Commission would be a ‘Beveridge Report’ for the 21st Century. It would be the first move of this kind since the creation of the NHS and the welfare state. Our aim is to engage fully with the public, NHS and care service staff about the massive challenges which the NHS and care services face. – and comne up with achievable solutions.”

“Southport Hospital is in a financial mess but it is only part of a wider picture. The NHS funding gap is expected to be £30 billion this year.  NHS and Foundation Trusts are facing a projected £2.2 billion deficit. By 2020 there will likely be  ‘funding gap’ in Social Care  of about £ 6 billion.”

“The NHS and social care face an existential crisis. Demand for services continues to rise year on year but funding is failing to keep up. The position in social care is perhaps even more serious. So all parties need to come together to fundamentally re-think how we can guarantee the future of the NHS and social care services.”

“If the Government establishes a Commission like this, they can show they are serious about protecting these vital public services in a non-partisan manner”.

 

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