BLOG POST: A real, funded plan to save our NHS and social care system
While listening to the people of Guildford and Cranleigh, on the doorstep and on the High Street, over the past three years there are two topics that come up without fail - Brexit and the NHS.
Our health and social health services are at a crisis point in the UK. They have been at that point for years now and it is a credit to our brilliant healthcare workers that our NHS has continued to take care of millions of us every year. However, the UK's healthcare provisions are getting less reliable every year. Waiting times have increased, staff feel undervalued and patient care is suffering. Our social care is severely underfunded and we are failing our elderly population. Our mental health services are severely underfunded and we are failing those we need to support.
As a party, the Liberal Democrats have been the only party who have not only said that the NHS needs better funding but been absolutely clear about how we will do it. I am proud that we are prepared to be honest and up front with the people of the UK. We know that our NHS is valued deeply by people from every community and walk of life and that people know that something needs to be done to ensure its' survival. That is why we have said that a Liberal Democrat government would for an extra 1p in every pound of income tax to help safeguard its' future.
An even bigger danger for the NHS than funding is Brexit!
Brexit will threaten the ability of our staff from elsewhere in Europe to work here - it already has. Brexit will lead to medicine shortages and delays to key treatments. And it will mean UK patients miss out access to new treatments from medical research funding and trials.
This is one of the reasons the Liberal Democrats are demanding better than Brexit.
We have a real plan for getting the NHS back on its feet and for rebuilding a health service that supports everyone.
In the short term, the extra penny on income tax would help us meet our immediate priorities in social care, reverse cuts to public health, and invest in mental health.
And long term we want to set up a cross-party commission to develop a sustainable long term plan for integrating and funding a healthcare service fit for 2019 Britain.
You can demand better for the NHS and social care by supporting me and the Liberal Democrats.
You can read more about our plan for the NHS and social care system here.