Stephen Robinson's S.O.S. for the NHS

Stephen Robinson has been discussing the findings of his NHS survey

In autumn 2007, Chelmsford Liberal Democrats conducted a survey of people's experiences of the NHS in the area. It is believed to be the biggest consultation on health ever undertaken in Chelmsford.

Stephen Robinson wrote a letter with a survey to houses across Chelmsford and has spent weeks reading and analysing the many hundreds of replies. He said, "I am delighted that so many people took the trouble to complete what was a lengthy survey. Chelmsford people are generally happy with the care provided by our hard-working NHS staff but unhappy about red tape and central government interference."

Over 70% were happy with waiting times to see GPs and nearly 90% satisfied with the consultation. However, half of respondents were unhappy with out of hours care, and the majority were opposed to the closure of St. John's hospital.

Less than 30% of people thought the NHS had improved under the Labour government, and over half thought it wastes money.

Mr. Robinson also said "It was also good to learn that people overwhelmingly back Lib Dem proposals for more local decision-making in the NHS, and screening for serious illnesses so they can be caught early."

Over 80% of people opposed Conservative plans to allow queue jumping by people who could afford to pay towards NHS treatment. Also, a large majority supported Lib Dem plans for health decisions to be taken locally - not all in Whitehall as now. This would provide a more effective and accountable health service.

"The Liberal Democrats want to see good quality local health services here in Chelmsford and across the country," said Stephen Robinson. "After record increases in the amount of money going into the NHS, we are entitled to ask why things are not rather better. We see huge deficits; staff posts not being filled; hospital closures, and poor cleanliness."

Stephen, along with Peter Wilcock (Lib Dem candidate in Saffron Walden) and Norman Lamb (Lib Dem spokesman on health) recently visited the Cheif Executive of Mid Essex Health Trust, Ruth May, to discuss the findings, and particularly to discuss the Trust's moves towards Foundation Status and the development of the PFI project at Broomfield. They were pleased to find that great progress has been made on tackling superbugs at Broomfield, and also on hitting the target for all patients being treated within 18 weeks of GP referral.

However, Norman Lamb raised concerns that his experience of PFI hospitals in Norfolk had been that cost-cutting had led to bed shortages. There also appeared to still be problems with bed-blocking, as a result of failures within the County Council run social services to provide the appropriate care.

The Lib Dems have launched a petition calling for:

• An end to the cuts - hospitals are under threat, staff being made redundant and services slashed.

• 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 both Labour and Conservative Governments it has been 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.

Follow this link to sign the petition.

You can still take the survey at this link.

SOS for the NHS - Lib Dem campaign.

Related NHS news items in Chelmsford

Mon 4th Aug 2008:

Lib Dem campaigners secure commitment to review parking charges at Broomfield Hospital.

Local Liberal Democrat campaigners have secured a commitment that the unfair parking charges at Broomfield hospital will be reviewed after Mid Essex Hospital Trust has paid off its outstanding debts in April 2009. This was one of the complaints raised most frequently by the 1,400 respondents to Stephen Robinson's recent inquiry into the state of the NHS in Chelmsford.

Mon 9th Jun 2008:

Survey reveals support for Lib Dem health plans.

In a major survey of our local health services, Chelmsford residents have said they are mostly happy with standards of medical care and NHS staff, but have attacked waste of money, bad management and interference from central Government. The findings come in a survey conducted by the local Liberal Democrats and Parliamentary Candidate Stephen Robinson.

Fri 7th Sep 2007:

SOS for the NHS - survey launched.

Local Liberal Democrats are campaigning against cuts to the local health services. They have launched a petition and are distributing a Health Survey right across Chelmsford. "We want to give local people a chance to have their say on local health services and health policy in general," said Parliamentary Candidate Stephen Robinson.

Thu 30th Nov 2006:

Hospital problems down to central controls.

A "Whitehall knows best" mentality has been blamed for the problems with the expansion plans at Broomfield hospital. Chelmsford Liberal Democrat Stephen Robinson has written to the local papers on these lines, following their coverage of the issue. The papers reported that building plans had been put on hold while the project was reviewed.

Earlier Stories

Complete archive on the official site.

Chelmsford Liberal Democrats News Stories, provided by Prater Raines Ltd http://www.praterraines.co.uk/.

(c) 2008 Chelmsford Liberal Democrats

Other NHS news items

Wed 8th Oct 2008:

Elderly paying £1.6bn in social care charges - Lamb .

Elderly people paid £1.6bn in charges for their social care last year, new figures released today have revealed. These charges, levied on older people by local authorities under the means-tested social care regime, accounted for one fifth of all spending on services for older people, which totalled £8.9bn. A breakdown of contributions shows that older people paid: · £892m towards residential care · £258m towards home care · £37m towards equipment and adaptations Commenting, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said: “The current long-term funding system for personal care for the elderly in England is simply not workable. “It is unfair, ineffective and unsustainable. People who use or work in the system find it irrational, confusing and unjust. “The Government has been dithering over reform for too long. We need radical reform of the system now. “The Liberal Democrats have proposed an extra £2bn to help fund a Care Guarantee which would entitle all older people to a personal care payment, based on need and not the ability to pay.”

Wed 17th Sep 2008:

Liberal Democrats back plans for equality and fairness in mental health care.

The Liberal Democrat Autumn Conference today backed plans to greatly improve equality and fairness in mental health provision in the NHS. The proposals include:  The ending of mixed sex wards in mental health units An absolute prohibition on anyone below the age of 18 being placed in an adult mental health ward The application of the mental health guarantee standard to mentally ill prisoners The right to commission services outside the NHS if an individual experiences long delays in accessing mental health treatment Commenting, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said: "Mental health has long been one of the most neglected services in the NHS. "It is a condition that touches every family - one in four of us will suffer mental health problems in our lifetime. "Mental health care under Labour has been characterised by a disgraceful lack of access and poor facilities. "Only the Liberal Democrats will transform mental health services, with faster access, safer wards and genuine equality of treatment. "Mental health must no longer be this country's Cinderella service." Full text of the motion - Conference notes that, despite funding for mental health services increasing by more than £1.5 billion since 1999, those experiencing mental health problems continue to suffer unacceptable discrimination in terms of access to services and treatment. In particular, conference notes that: i)                    Mental health has been estimated to cost the UK economy £48 billion every year in loss of output and cost of treatment. ii)                   Currently there is inequity in treatment between patients with physical health needs and those with mental health needs. iii)                 As a consequence of existing funding arrangements (waiting time targets and ‘payment by results'), mental health trusts have suffered real term cuts in funding, resulting in services for some of the most vulnerable people being cut back. iv)                 There are high proportions of depression and anxiety disorder sufferers who are not in contact with services, whilst many children and adolescents with conduct disorders and eating disorders remain undiagnosed and untreated. v)                  There is a severe shortage of psychological therapists and family-oriented programmes which is compromising treatment and resulting in NICE guidelines on treatment not being met. vi)                 As a result of this, drugs are often unnecessarily prescribed to individuals who need psychological treatment, as such therapy is not available. vii)               Conditions in many inpatient mental health wards are completely unacceptable. viii)              When people with mental health needs suffer physical health conditions, outcomes are significantly worse than the average, producing dramatically shortened average life expectancy for this group. ix)                 Many people suffering from mental health problems languish in prison without appropriate, effective treatment. x)                  There are over a million people on incapacity benefit as a result of mental health needs who could be supported back into appropriate work but currently do not get access to therapies. xi)                 Mixed-sex wards and mixed wards of adults and young people under 18 still exist in mental health hospitals, despite the risks to vulnerable patients. xii)               Patient Choice does not extend to mental health services Conference believes that the fundamental principles which the National Health Service must embrace and apply in the treatment of mental health needs are: a)      Equality: those with mental health needs should receive equal treatment from the NHS to those with physical needs. b)      Fairness: everyone should be entitled to a ‘core package' of care. c)      Empowerment: individuals should be enabled to take control back over their own lives as far as possible. d)      Quality: individuals should be able to access high quality, appropriate treatment, delivered by highly trained professionals. Conference condemns the existing discrimination within the NHS. Conference therefore calls for the following, to be funded within existing overall NHS budgets: 1.      The introduction, in accordance with Policy Paper 84, Empowerment, Fairness and Quality in Health Care (2008), of an equal entitlement to treatment for all NHS patients; mental health service users would be entitled to treatment within the condition-specific maximum waiting time by 2012, failing which they would be guaranteed access to treatment paid for privately by the NHS.  As a ‘cinderella service', waiting times are currently unacceptably long and Liberal Democrats are committed to ensuring that mental health services are resourced, organized and prioritized to make sure that no waiting time for treatment is longer than three months. 2.      Personal care budgets to be granted to those patients who are able to make informed choices. 3.      The introduction of the patient contract for those with mental health needs, as laid out in Policy Paper 84, Empowerment, Fairness and Quality in Health Care. 4.      Independent Patient Advocates, providing information, guidance and support to both mental health patients and carers. 5.      The ending of mixed sex wards in mental health units. 6.      An absolute prohibition on anyone below the age of 18 being placed on an adult mental health ward. 7.      Extra investment in clinician and practitioner capacity to ensure high-quality and effective services for both individuals and families. 8.      Additional investment in mental health infrastructure in order to ensure appropriate and modern facilities for all patients. 9.      The provision of extra capacity in mental health intensive care and forensic units to divert people in need of treatment away from prison and to assist those already in prison. 10.  The application of the mental health guarantee standard to mentally ill prisoners. 11.  A review of the basis on which NICE arrives at its judgments on the cost-effectiveness of treatments, aiming to arrive at a new system assessing costs and benefits as widely and as objectively as possible to try and capture in an equitable way the wider costs to the individual, carers and the economy of mental health conditions. 12.  The introduction of effective financial incentives for Job Centre Plus and the NHS to ensure the provision of treatment assisting those on incapacity benefit back into appropriate work. 13.  Employment support providers to be given the right to commission services outside the NHS if an individual experiences long delays in accessing mental health treatment.

Wed 10th Sep 2008:

Clegg: Allow cancer patients the right to buy life-extending drugs .

Liberal Democrat Leader, Nick Clegg has called for patients to be allowed to pay for extra treatment without losing their rights to free NHS care. Speaking at the thinktank Reform in London, Nick Clegg spoke of incidents of patients being refused NHS treatment because they had bought life-extending cancer drugs. He said there was a conflict between the needs of the large organisation and the needs of individual people, and that people should not be denied the right to top up their care – particularly where they are following their doctor’s advice – when the NHS has finite resources and cannot provide everything for everyone. He said that an extra week of life ‘may not count for much on a bureaucrat’s chart, but it was everything to someone who was saying goodbye forever to their children and grandchildren.’ Nick Clegg also outlined Liberal Democrat plans to guarantee patients private treatment if NHS treatment is not available within set waiting times. He touched on plans to extend direct payments and personal budgets so people with long term and chronic conditions choose what care they need. The speech also examined Labour’s failed attempts at NHS reform, branding the service a ‘guinea pig’ for the New Labour experiment in massive central spending and control.

Tue 9th Sep 2008:

Postcode lotteries unacceptable - Lamb .

Commenting on today’s [Monday] King's Fund Report into local variations in NHS spending priorities, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said: "This analysis points to an unacceptable postcode lottery of care with Primary Care Trusts totally unaccountable to the communities they serve for these funding decisions." Norman went on to say: “If Primary Care Trusts were democratically accountable then local people could hold them to account on funding decisions and on how effective local health services are in delivering high quality care from the available resources. “This report begs urgent questions as to what extent these extraordinary variations in spending are affecting patient care and leading to higher death rates. The Government must investigate whether the funding allocations are fair.”

IRP decisions ignore local wishes - Lamb .

Commenting on news that the Independent Regulatory Panel (IRP) is recommending that cardiac and A & E units be scrapped in hospitals in London and Yorkshire, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said: "Local wishes are being ignored and decisions on vital patient care are being centrally imposed." “The Government doesn’t seem to realise the consequences that its policies are having on patients and families. “Closing wards and downgrading services without allowing local people to have a real say is a betrayal of the founding ideals of the NHS. “What should be a people’s health service has fallen into the hands of unaccountable bureaucrats. “The Liberal Democrat proposals for elected local health boards would mean that people and not central government would be responsible for deciding what services they need.”

Thu 28th Aug 2008:

Rise in superbug deaths horrifying - Lamb.

Commenting on today's ONS statistics that reveal the number of deaths involving the superbug C. difficile in England and Wales rose by 28% between 2006-7, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said: "These are horrifying statistics." Commenting on today’s ONS statistics that reveal the number of deaths involving the superbug Clostridium difficile in England and Wales rose by 28% between 2006-7, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said: "These are horrifying statistics. "The truth is that these could be avoidable deaths. Many hospitals are winning the battle against superbugs, but the Government’s action on this is too little too late in the face of the dreadful death toll. "There must be zero tolerance of low hygiene standards in hospitals. Poor performance can be a matter of life and death for patients, and sorting this out should be ministers’ top priority."

Labour has failed to tackle shocking health inequality - Lamb.

Commenting on today's World Health Organisation (WHO) report that reveals the shocking health inequalities across the UK, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said: "The stark truth is that after 11 years in government, Labour has failed to tackle the deep disadvantage that scars much of our country and results in growing inequalities in health." Commenting on today’s World Health Organisation (WHO) report that reveals the shocking health inequalities across the UK, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said: "The stark truth is that after 11 years in government, Labour has failed to tackle the deep disadvantage that scars much of our country and results in growing inequalities in health. "The WHO makes it clear that while healthcare has improved, it is the rich who are reaping the benefits. "It is shocking and disgraceful that this contrast can exist in modern Britain. "For the past decade, this Government has achieved little more than broken promises on reducing health inequality. Too much vital investment has been wasted on top-down bureaucracy. "Widening health inequalities will be Labour’s most shameful NHS legacy."

NHS racks up surpluses while key services are starved of cash - Lamb.

Commenting on this year's predicted £1.75bn NHS surplus, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said: "This forecast surplus begs the question whether taxpayers' money is being used effectively." Commenting on this year’s predicted £1.75bn NHS surplus, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said:   "This forecast surplus begs the question whether taxpayers’ money is being used effectively. "What evidence is there that trusts are using their surpluses to prepare for fluctuations in demand and investment in new services? Is this the NHS preparing for a period of slower growth in funding? Or is this individual trusts building up a surplus so that they can survive in a more competitive environment? "While the NHS is racking up a billion pound surplus, many areas of patient care are being starved of cash. Public health, alcohol treatment services and mental health are simply not getting the money they need. "Several reports have shown that the current funding system risks damaging quality in the NHS but has done nothing to improve efficiency. Ministers should focus on sorting this out rather than patting themselves on the back for allowing the NHS to bank more and more cash."

Wed 27th Aug 2008:

Lansley's speech exposes Tory confusion - Lamb.

Commenting on today's speech by Andrew Lansley, No Excuses, No Nannying, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said: "Everyone has a responsibility to look after their own health, but the prescription the Tories are offering has failed in the past and will fail in the future." Commenting on today’s speech by Andrew Lansley, No Excuses, No Nannying, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said: "Everyone has a responsibility to look after their own health, but the prescription the Tories are offering has failed in the past and will fail in the future. "Andrew Lansley’s speech exposes the confusion at the heart of the Conservative’s strategy. "He lectures people about their responsibility. He blames people for being overweight and says they lack self-discipline and self-esteem. Yet when it comes to junk food he’s much more sensitive about the problem of ‘stigmatising’ it. "This is the same old nasty party moralising and lecturing whilst remaining silent on the causes of increasing obesity. "Central to tackling obesity must be policies reduce inequality, deprivation and poor education."

Tue 26th Aug 2008:

Withholding of cancer drug information shocking - Lamb.

Commenting a poll released today that reveals doctors are not telling cancer patients about new drugs that could extend their lives because they may be difficult to obtain on the NHS, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said: "It is shocking that vital information is being withheld from patients because doctors are worried about funding issues." Commenting a poll released today that reveals doctors are not telling cancer patients about new drugs that could extend their lives because they may be difficult to obtain on the NHS, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said: "It is shocking that vital information is being withheld from patients because doctors are worried about funding issues. "Instead of giving patients and doctors greater say over what treatments are provided by the NHS, Labour have built up bureaucratic barriers that can only be challenged in the High Court. "It is time the Government stopped pretending nothing can be done to make the decisions over these drugs more transparent and rational. "NICE must be made independent of ministers, and Primary Care Trusts should be made accountable to the people they serve."

Government buried damning NHS report - Lamb.

The Liberal Democrats have today accused the Government of trying to bury a report revealing how high quality NHS cancer services are being undermined by the internal market's funding system. The Liberal Democrats have today accused the Government of trying to bury a report revealing how high quality NHS cancer services are being undermined by the internal market’s funding system. The report commissioned by the Department of Health was finalised in May 2008 but not published until Friday 8 August, the opening day of the Beijing Olympics. The report finds that system of Payment by Results (PbR), effectively the currency of the NHS, causes hospitals who treat patients requiring complex operations and treatment to lose money as a result. The report finds that: The internal market as it currently operates is undermining high quality cancer services Patients with complex needs are losing specialist hospitals (like the Royal Marsden) vast sums of money The system actively discourages investment in new technology and in new treatments known to improve patient outcomes Commenting, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said: "This is a devastating criticism of the problems Payment by Results is causing for the parts of the NHS we should be most proud of. "This report reveals the very serious unintended consequences of how treatments are paid for. The Government is effectively penalising hospitals for providing specialist care. "Ministers claim that PbR is rewarding efficiency, but this report shows that it risks distorting clinical decisions about who to treat and whether to invest in new and improved technologies. "The Government must act on this report now. Its own cancer strategy is being fatally undermined by this flawed funding system. "The Health Secretary is probably too busy worrying about the leadership of the Labour party to pay proper attention to the warnings in the report about the damage being wrought in the NHS. What other explanation could there be for sitting on the report for three months and only publishing it on a quiet Friday when most people are on holiday? "I am writing today to the Secretary of State calling for an urgent review of Payment by Results. There is a clear need for reform of this system."

Thu 21st Aug 2008:

Dental contract an abject failure - Lamb.

Commenting on today's figures showing that over a million fewer people have seen an NHS dentist since the new dental contract was introduced in 2006, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said: "The Government is in complete denial over the fact that the new dental contract has been an abject failure." Commenting on today’s figures showing that over a million fewer people have seen an NHS dentist since the new dental contract was introduced in 2006, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said: "The Government is in complete denial over the fact that the new dental contract has been an abject failure. "People want to see an NHS dentist, but all the evidence shows they are finding this increasingly difficult. "The crisis in NHS dentistry is Labour’s hidden legacy."

Cancelled operations show NHS under unsustainable pressure - Lamb.

Commenting on new figures released by the Conservatives today [Thursday], which claim over 100,000 NHS operations were cancelled last year for non-clinical reasons, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said: "There is a real issue with the number of cancelled operations. They are yet another sign of the unsustainable pressure the NHS is under." Commenting on new figures released by the Conservatives today [Thursday], which claim over 100,000 NHS operations were cancelled last year for non-clinical reasons, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said: "There is a real issue with the number of cancelled operations. They are yet another sign of the unsustainable pressure the NHS is under. "Hospitals are being straitjacketed by this Government. Patient care is coming second to the overwhelming pressure to meet targets. "But there is some doubt about the Conservative analysis. If the figures for Kingston Hospital should have been 190 instead of over 10,000 then the projection to 100,000 cases across the country could well be inaccurate."

Wed 20th Aug 2008:

Diabetes strategy worthless without obesity focus - Lamb.

Commenting on today's Department of Health study into progress made since the publication of its diabetes plan for England five years ago, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said: "A diabetes strategy will not be worth the paper it's written on if a greater focus is not put on obesity." Commenting on today’s Department of Health study into progress made since the publication of its diabetes plan for England five years ago, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said: "This report shows the NHS has taken a step in the right direction, but there is still a long way to go before people with diabetes are getting the help they need to manage their condition. "But what is most striking about the report is what it doesn’t say. Almost no mention is made of the big risk that, unless we effectively tackle obesity, the number of people suffering with diabetes will almost certainly increase. "A diabetes strategy will not be worth the paper it’s written on if a greater focus is not put on obesity. "The Government is spending an enormous amount on treating conditions caused by obesity and not nearly enough on prevention. It’s treating the symptom rather than the underlying causes. "We need to ensure that the message about the vital importance of a healthy lifestyle gets through to the public, especially to children and families."

Two thirds of hospitals missed MRSA targets - Lamb.

Almost two thirds of hospital trusts failed to meet the target to halve the number of MRSA cases, despite Government claims to have tackled the problem, analysis by the Liberal Democrats has revealed.Commenting, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said: "Now the deadline for its own MRSA target has passed, the Government might think the pressure is off. But it's not off for the NHS." Almost two thirds of hospital trusts failed to meet the target to halve the number of MRSA cases, despite Government claims to have tackled the problem, analysis by the Liberal Democrats has revealed. Although the Government claimed to have virtually halved the rate of MRSA in hospitals by April 2008, figures show that its targets to fight the superbug were not met in 64% of hospital trusts. In addition, MRSA rates have actually increased in one in seven hospitals. Analysis of Government figures shows that out of 170 NHS trusts: ? 64% (109 trusts) did not meet the target of halving the number of MRSA cases compared to 2003-04 ? 11% (18 trusts) saw the number of cases rise in the past four years ? 14% (23 trusts) saw their rate of MRSA cases rise Commenting, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said: "Now the deadline for its own MRSA target has passed, the Government might think the pressure is off. But it’s not off for the NHS. "These figures show that ministers’ claims of success in the fight against superbugs were premature. "In recent years the NHS has become so used to having commands shouted down to it from Ministers that there is a risk that the sudden lack of interest leads to a let up in the fight against MRSA. This must not happen. "The vast majority of NHS trusts have achieved real improvements in infection rates over the last few years and they deserve praise for that. However, this only highlights the fact that ministers have failed to implement best practice, and makes it all the more unacceptable when poor management or poor practices result in high infection rates."

Sat 1st Mar 2008:

Empowerment, Fairness and Quality in Healthcare.

Policies for an effective NHS Policy Paper 84: Empowerment, Fairness and Quality in Healthcare March Conference 2008 For the full text of the paper, or for the motion as passed by conference (including amendments and deletions), please click the link below in 'Related Documents'. 

Fri 27th Jul 2007:

Freedom from Poverty, Opportunity for All.

Radical new proposals to reduce poverty and tackle inequality in Britain Policy Paper 80: Freedom from Poverty, Opportunity for All September Conference 2007 For the full text of the paper, or for the motion as passed by conference (including amendments and deletions), please click the link below in 'Related Documents'. 

Wed 6th Jun 2007:

SOS for the NHS.

The Liberal Democrats have launched a major national campaign to save the NHS from Labour's cuts and incompetence. The campaign calls for an end to savage NHS cuts, for the Government to stop wasting billions of pounds of health spending and for local people to have more say over local health services. We have three steps to save the NHS: Stop the cuts Cut the waste Give us back our NHS On our SOS for the NHS website you can find out more about our campaign, let us know your experiences of the national health service and sign a petition backing our campaign.

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