I AM increasingly concerned about the NHS – it is in crisis, and I do not say that lightly.
Every month I volunteer as a cancer pharmacist at University Hospital in Coventry. I see first-hand the strain our NHS is under. I see the delays and the backlogs and what this means for patients.
This is unlike anything we have witnessed before – our health services are crumbling before our eyes.
I spoke in Parliament during Labour’s debate about the government’s NHS mismanagement and made clear the frustrations of Coventry North West constituents.
There are ongoing issues and our government’s response to them, which particularly concern me.
First, nurses and ambulance workers have been forced to strike because the Government has failed to enter honest negotiations on a fair pay deal. Nobody in the NHS wants to strike, but their hand has been forced by this Conservative government. I urge the Government to start negotiating and reach a deal.
Our NHS heroes are underpaid, overworked and burnt out – this is unsustainable.
Second, healthcare in the community has broken down – we all know in Coventry getting a GP appointment is too often a complete nightmare. I want to see community pharmacies better utilised to ease pressure on GP surgeries. Pharmacies are crying out to play their part. The Government must get GP surgeries and pharmacies working better together.
Third, I am shocked by draft plans released by the Government to buy up care home beds to ease hospital pressures.
This is a sticking plaster response and not a long-term solution. Care homes do not have either the staff or resources to take on this huge responsibility.
Our hospitals and care homes are facing a similar crisis at the same time – they are understaffed, under-resourced and at full capacity.
They both face a blockage at the entrance and at the exit. Patients are receiving haphazard care in car parks and hospital corridors.
Fourth, I am beyond frustrated that cancer care in Coventry is rapidly deteriorating. Half of cancer patients are not receiving their treatment on time in our city. We urgently need a plan to reduce the backlog and ensure cancer treatment is always delivered on time.
Finally, too many constituents are waiting hours for an ambulance to arrive in an emergency and too many have experienced A&E gridlock.
There is no credible strategy to reduce ambulance waiting times or ease the A&E pressure.
We urgently need one from government to deliver relief and ensure the NHS can deliver for patients in an emergency.
I know NHS crisis is a long-term problem and is impacting everyone differently.
I will keep you up-to-date with my work on this issue.
If I can help, email me at [email protected] and I will do my best to support you.
Taiwo Owatemi
Coventry North-West MP
