Liberal Democrats : Health News Feed

]> Liberal Democrats : Health News Feed http://www.libdems.org.uk/health RSS News provided by Liberal Democrats en-gb Fri, 4 Jul 2008 02:15:45 +0100 Copyright Liberal Democrats Liberal Democrats In house Bradshaw remarks must be backed up by facts - Lamb http://www.libdems.org.uk/health/story.html?id=14614 Commenting on comments by Ben Bradshaw that some GPs enter into ‘gentleman’s agreements’ not to accept each others patients, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said: "Ratcheting up his war of words with the BMA in this way demonstrates the complete breakdown in trust between the Government and those on the health service’s front line. "If Ben Bradshaw is going to make provocative and inflammatory statements about GPs’ behaviour he must back them up with facts. Does he have any evidence of what he is alleging? "There is currently little incentive for GPs to take on new patients. They must be encouraged to take on patients from disadvantaged backgrounds. These are problems of the Government’s own making." Thu, 3 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Government failing abjectly on knife crime - Huhne http://www.libdems.org.uk/health/story.html?id=14612 Commenting on figures compiled by Hospital Episodes Statistics which show a dramatic rise in under-16s admitted for stab wounds, Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne said: "These appalling figures show that the Government’s strategy for tackling teenage knife crime is failing abjectly. "Ministers claim that crime is falling, but these figures show serious attacks that require hospital admission are up. They cut through all the problems with the crime reported to the police and the lack of information about teenagers in the British Crime Survey. "We appear to be locked in a vicious circle where teenagers don’t feel safe on our streets, and therefore carry more knives, which in turn just fuels the spiral of knife crime. "The solution has to be more knife arches, more targeted stop and search in hot spots, a sustained campaign in schools, and more detection and prosecution for carrying knives. "Instead of spending billions on unworkable and unnecessary ID cards, the Government should spend the money on actually making people safer by putting more police on our streets." Wed, 2 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0100 60 per cent of hospitals on emergency alerts - Lamb http://www.libdems.org.uk/health/story.html?id=14606 Almost two-thirds of hospitals have been on emergency alert over the last five years, according to a survey by the Liberal Democrats. Half of hospitals surveyed will cancel or delay elective surgery when on emergency alert, while over a third will delay patient treatment and almost a quarter will divert patients to other hospitals. The figures differ around the country, with six hospitals on black or red alert for over 350 days in the last five years, and some going on alert over 100 times each year. Commenting, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said: "These figures are a damning indictment of Labour’s target-obsessed culture. Despite pouring record sums into the NHS over the past five years, over half of hospitals have found themselves on emergency alert. "Many hospitals are under intolerable pressure, putting a massive strain on staff and compromising patient care. "There must be a thorough review of bed capacity in both acute and community hospitals. Local people must be able to secure sufficient bed numbers to meet local needs." Wed, 2 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Government plunging us into dark age of dentistry - Gidley http://www.libdems.org.uk/health/story.html?id=14601 Commenting on today’s Health Select Committee report into dentistry, which highlights problems that have developed since the introduction of the new dental contract, Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson and Select Committee Member, Sandra Gidley said: "This is another example of the Government meddling and rushing through changes without thinking about the consequences. "The facts speak for themselves. The number of patients seen by NHS dentists between December 2005 and December 2007 has fallen by a million. "The scandal for patients is that many are receiving less sophisticated treatment and are paying more for the privilege. "The Government has plunged us headlong into a dark age of dentistry." Wed, 2 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Darzi statement ignores health inequalities - Lamb http://www.libdems.org.uk/health/story.html?id=14592 Commenting on Lord Darzi’s statement on his vision for the NHS, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said: "This statement smacks of a motherhood and apple pie prescription for the NHS, filled with inevitable New Labour jargon such as the ‘clinical dashboard’. "When the dust settles people will see that little has changed and that the system of command and control diktat by Whitehall lives on. "This statement says nothing about the scandalous discrimination suffered by those with mental health problems or the health inequalities that continue to scar our country." Tue, 1 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0100 NICE announcement another Labour placebo - Lamb http://www.libdems.org.uk/health/story.html?id=14581 Responding to reports that the Government is to speed up the NICE approval process and give patients a legal right to access NICE-approved drugs, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said: "This looks like yet another Labour placebo for the NHS. The latest ministerial spin wilfully misses the point. "Whilst an increase in the speed of the NICE process would be very welcome, there are many drugs which have never been approved by NICE. It appears that for these drugs the postcode lottery will remain. "NICE must be given the capacity not only to consider drugs faster but also to look at drugs already in use which have not been through the NICE approval process. "The Government’s belated conversion to giving patients more power over their treatment, whilst welcome, raises more questions than it answers." Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Skin cancer awareness budget slashed while diagnoses rises - Lamb http://www.libdems.org.uk/health/story.html?id=14571 Skin cancer diagnoses have risen by 26% since 2001 while the funding for skin cancer awareness has been slashed by a third, new research by the Liberal Democrats has uncovered. The number of people admitted to hospital for sunburn, heatstroke and dehydration has also risen sharply in the past five years. The figures, released in parliamentary answers to Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb, reveal that: · Diagnoses of skin cancer rose by 26% from 2001-5 · The budget for skin cancer awareness has been cut by one third in the last yea · The number of people admitted to hospital with sunburn has more than trebled since 200 · The number of people admitted to hospital for heatstroke has risen by eight times since 2003 · The number of children admitted to hospital for dehydration has doubled since 2003 Commenting, Norman Lamb said: "This shocking increase underlines how skin cancer care has to become a significant public health priority. "It is stunning that when faced with such a rise, the Government is actually cutting back on funding strategies that can help prevent the problem. "Far too many people are still not fully aware of the dangers of excessive sun exposure, especially for children, and health education can play a vital part in addressing this." Fri, 27 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Top-ups review long overdue - Lamb http://www.libdems.org.uk/health/story.html?id=14534 Commenting on today’s Government announcement of a review into ‘top-ups’ for patient care in the NHS, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said: "This announcement is long overdue, but it is a remarkable u-turn given the comments that Alan Johnson was making only a few months ago. "When a doctor recommends a treatment as having value to a patient, it seems both cruel and perverse to pull the rug from underneath them. "NHS treatment should be available to all without favour. If a patient chooses to pay for a drug that the NHS won’t provide, then it is unjust to deny them treatment which is available to everyone else. "However, ministers must ensure that there will not be any additional costs for the NHS, and that other patients will not lose out as a result of this." Mon, 23 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Review of anti-psychotic drugs too little, too late - Burstow http://www.libdems.org.uk/health/story.html?id=14509 Following Health Minister Ivan Lewis’ announcement of a review into the use of anti-psychotic drugs, Paul Burstow, Liberal Democrat MP for Sutton and Cheam and campaigner for older people’s rights, will today lead a delegation of Alzheimer’s charities to discuss their concerns with the minister. Paul Burstow said: "This review of anti-psychotic drugs is too little, too late. The evidence is already compelling: these drugs don’t treat dementia, they cut lives short. "The US Food and Drug Administration has just issued a black box warning against prescribing anti-psychotics to older people. European drug regulators are likely to require much tighter prescribing rules. "UK regulatory authorities must act now and follow the FDA’s lead so that doctors can be in no doubt about the risks when they prescribe these drugs." Thu, 19 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Government has little idea how free swimming proposals will work - Brake http://www.libdems.org.uk/health/story.html?id=14500 The Liberal Democrats today highlighted figures that show the Government will struggle to fulfil its pledge to provide free swimming to the over 60s and under 16s. Government figures have revealed that 79 swimming pools closed in England over the last four years - about one every two-and-a-half weeks. Parliamentary Answers also revealed much of the money to finance the scheme, promised as part of the Government’s Olympic legacy, will actually come from lottery funds. Commenting, Liberal Democrat Shadow Olympics Minister, Tom Brake said: "It’s increasingly clear that the Government has very little idea how its free swimming proposal will actually work and doesn’t appear willing to stump up the cash to pay for it. "Not only have ministers raided lottery funds to pay for the Olympics, it now looks likely that even more lottery money will be used to pay for the legacy plans. "A huge number of swimming pools have closed in recent years due to a lack of funding. The money on offer here will do little to halt the trend. "Encouraging people to swim is a very worthy idea but, on its own, will fall a long way short of the target to get two million more people active ahead of the Olympics." Thu, 19 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100 One in four PCTs failing to meet hygiene standards - Lamb http://www.libdems.org.uk/health/story.html?id=14484 Commenting on today’s Healthcare Commission report which finds that the number of PCTs fully complying with its standards has fallen, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said: “Ministers talk about world class commissioning, but in the real world we’re actually seeing a significant decline in the number of PCTs declaring full compliance with Healthcare Commission standards. “Many have suffered endless turmoil because of the constant reorganisations forced on them by government. “For more than one in four trusts to fail to comply with the hygiene code is shocking, particularly given the continuing alarm over hospital acquired infections.” Mon, 16 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Ministers failing to tackle root causes of domestic violence - Huhne http://www.libdems.org.uk/health/story.html?id=14480 Commenting on today’s Home Affairs Select Committee report Domestic Violence, Forced Marriage and "Honour"-Based Violence, Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne said: "There has undoubtedly been progress in tackling domestic violence in recent times, but this report makes it clear how much is left to be done. "As with so many Government policies, far too much focus is placed on the criminal justice system. Ministers are tackling the effects of domestic violence and forced marriage, but not the root causes, through effective prevention and early intervention. "The Government must prioritise developing a national strategy to end all forms of violence against women." Mon, 16 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Government ignoring public on polyclinics - Lamb http://www.libdems.org.uk/health/story.html?id=14479 Commenting on the one million signatures for the BMA’s ‘Support your Surgery’ campaign, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said: "The Government is making a grave mistake taking doctors on in this aggressive way. "They are driving forward their polyclinic agenda from Whitehall - blind to protests from both doctors and local people. "The fact that the BMA has collected over one million signatures in just three weeks shows the massive scale of public concern over polyclinics. The Government cannot stick its head in the sand over this level of opposition. "We cannot have models of healthcare imposed from the centre. Polyclinics might be a solution for some communities, but access to a doctor could become a nightmare, particularly in rural areas." Mon, 16 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Imposing polyclinics on communities is wrong - Lamb http://www.libdems.org.uk/health/story.html?id=14476 Commenting on events at today’s GPs conference, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said: "The Government needs to stop burying its head in the sand and start listening to the concerns of local people and doctors. "Picking a fight with professionals who disagree with ministers’ centrally imposed plans will do little to improve the NHS. "It is wrong to impose polyclinics on local communities in a tight time scale and with limited consultation. Local people must be in control of the process." Thu, 12 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Government must end dictatorial attitude to NHS - Lamb http://www.libdems.org.uk/health/story.html?id=14464 Commenting on today’s [Thursday] report from the Healthcare Commission and Audit Commission on NHS reforms, which reveals that not enough support is provided for patients to make informed choices, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said: "This is a depressing verdict on 11 years of endless, contradictory reform in the NHS which have cost taxpayers a lot of money and delivered little benefit to patient care. "Choice in the NHS must be made to work for everyone. Without information and support for all patients, choice will succeed in only improving care for the well informed - leaving more disadvantaged groups behind. "We need to end this dictatorial attitude to the NHS. We must empower patients to make changes and take decisions locally, not persist with central dictats on piecemeal changes." Thu, 12 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100