Stephen Morgan MP has demanded the government ‘cuts the rhetoric’ and support the NHS after new research shows the number of people waiting for treatment continues to rise.
Research from the Office of Stephen Morgan MP has shown that 37.3% of patients of Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust are waiting more than the recommended maximum of 18 weeks for treatment.
Meanwhile, 37,145 are currently awaiting treatment from QA Hospital, up from 35,948 patients in April, according to the latest data from NHS England.
The research comes as this week the Official Opposition, including the Portsmouth representative, pushed Ministers for an NHS recovery plan that would include action to bring down waiting lists.
On the 73rd anniversary of the creation of the NHS, Labour MPs highlighted the scandal of over 5 million people now on the waiting list for NHS treatment, and pointed to the shocking failure that left the NHS struggling with growing waiting lists, high staff vacancies, crumbling NHS buildings and without the diagnostic machines needed to cope with demand.
Labour demanded:
- A quarterly plan from ministers on action being taken to bring down waiting lists and to meet national waiting times standards
- A NHS rescue plan to ensure the NHS has the staff and modern equipment to deliver the cancer care, surgery and mental health care patients deserve.
- A commitment to strengthen the NHS constitution to eliminate waits over 52-weeks and offer a cast iron guarantee
- A fair pay rise for NHS staff
The Member of Parliament for Portsmouth South, Stephen Morgan, said,
“Over a decade of underfunding our NHS has left constituents in Portsmouth waiting too long for treatment.
“73 years ago, a Labour Government created the NHS. The introduction of the NHS completely transformed people’s lives, giving access to world-class healthcare to all, regardless of their ability to pay.
“11 years of Tory Government has seen waiting lists rise to their highest on record, beds cut and thousands of vacancies leaving NHS staff exhausted and overstretched. We thank the phenomenal NHS staff who have delivered lifesaving work, even in the toughest times.
“Which is why, this week, we celebrate Labour’s creation of the NHS but we also campaign for a NHS rescue plan, to bring down the spiralling waiting lists, ensure more people can access cancer treatment sooner and ensure people receive the cancer care they need. Ignoring the crisis now facing our NHS puts patients’ lives at risk.”
Jonathan Ashworth, Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary said:
“For eleven years the Tories underfunded the NHS and cut health care services. We entered the pandemic with a weakened NHS with growing waiting list, less beds and desperately short of staff.
“Today treatment lists are sky high and people are left anxiously waiting longer for cancer care putting lives at risk.
“Labour is demanding Boris Johnson now develop a fully funded health and care rescue plan to give patients in Portsmouth the quality care they deserve.”
Mr Morgan called on the Health Secretary back in April for failing to pay Portsmouth NHS staff a ‘fair wage’. He also wrote to the government for a fair NHS staff pay rise in March after it was revealed 300,000 staff worked unpaid hours in the past year, as well as liaising with local nursing representatives in Portsmouth and argued for a pay increase in the House of Commons budget debate.
