Newark MP Robert Jenrick shares his plans to deal with the national issue of long healthcare waiting lists
Over the pandemic doctors and healthcare professionals were on the front line and we owe them a great debt of gratitude.
However, as we move into a post-lockdown world it is evident that many people with medical issues did not come forward during this period, due to concerns of burdening the health service, fears around covid-19 infection or their appointments were cancelled to make space for those with covid. This has now opened the floodgates and is stretching the capacity of local GP surgeries to breaking point. Whether that is accessing face to face appointments, the length of time for referrals and waiting lists, or simply to get a timely appointment many people are impacted by this and feel very strongly about it. In fact it is the number one constituency issue I receive emails about and I have even been stopped on the street lately by local residents, wanting to raise concerns and share difficult stories.
It is important that we tackle these issues. I understand that many people may prefer to have online appointments with GP’s which work around their working day and save travelling to the surgery, but the option for a face-to-face appointment must be available for those who wish to seek assurance about their health in person.
With the NHS being stretched to deal with the onslaught of covid it has unfortunately caused waiting lists to rise nationally. These lists will continue to rise over the coming year, but the NHS will see a record £39 billion of additional funding invested in the health and care sector to help reduce waiting times and ease pressures on the workforce so they can deliver for patients. We are all paying for this with higher taxes and rightly need to see improvement and reform. Some progress is being made on cutting waiting times – the number of people on the longest waits has halved in the past four months but more needs to be done, which is why I am glad to see that the Government is looking at a plan for change for primary care focussing on how pharmacists can help first. With local GPs and healthcare leaders, we need to develop a coherent plan that addresses public concern and I will be playing my part in that. The present situation can’t continue.
I am currently looking into the causes of these issues and will be convening a meeting with local GP surgeries and the NHS focusing on how we can jointly work through these problems, giving better patient satisfaction and service, whilst at the same time supporting the surgeries and those who work in them.
On the subject of healthcare, last month I attended an event at Newark Rugby Club to hear Beaumond House Hospice’s plans to expand the hospice increasing its number of beds and improve facilities for patients and loved ones. The hospice has been, and remains, vital to the community over the past 35 years and I hope that with this major new investment it will be able to be so for a considerable time in the future. Beaumond House is at an early stage in developing its plans and will be setting out more publicly soon, explaining the new facilities and how we, as the community it serves, can support them in this important endeavour.
