I’m campaigning for better services and support for older people, carers and their families, and a sustainable system for funding our NHS and social care in future.
A significant investment was made in building Westcotes Health Centre under the last Labour Government. It should be providing a wide range of high quality GP and community health services but I’m very concerned that much of the building isn’t being fully used. There are currently two GP practices, some […]
The fantastic Robert Hall Community Church plays a really active role within the local Westcotes community. I recently joined the Church to launch their Thursday Club, a new initiative to bring older people together so that they can meet their neighbours over a lovely cuppa and homemade cake. A group […]
It’s clear that patients, staff and taxpayers cannot afford another 99 days of this Government, let alone another five years. They need Labour’s long-term plan for investment and reform, with an extra £2.5 billion a year, on top of this Government’s plans, to get the GPs, nurses, midwives and home […]
Family life is changing and more and more of us are looking after elderly or disabled relatives. There are already 5.4 million unpaid family carers in England – and around 31,000 here in Leicester – and this number is set to increase in future. 3 in 5 of us will […]
A&E services are under huge pressure across the country, and on Friday, I again visited the Leicester Royal Infirmary to see what the latest situation is like on the ground. Dr Ben Teasdale, the clinical lead in the emergency department, said they are seeing an increasing number of very sick, […]
My Freedom of Information survey of local councils has revealed that 220,000 fewer people are receiving meals on wheels in England now compared to 2010 – that’s a fall of 63 per cent. Those still receiving meals are paying on average £237 more a year – an increase of 22 […]
The Maya Wellbeing Project, based at the Newfoundpool Community Centre, brings older people together to eat well, keep fit and enjoy each other’s company. I recently popped in on their Christmas Party to join in with the festive fun and dancing. I have to say, it was difficult to keep […]
On Monday 1st December, I appeared on BBC’s Newsnight to discuss some of the challenges faced by our NHS. You can watch the programme here. People are really struggling to get an appointment with their GP and too many older people are ending up in hospital when they could have […]
Friday 28th November was Carers Rights Day. To mark the occasion, I visited a carer’s event at the Curve Theatre, which was a great opportunity to highlight the huge contribution carers make and to raise awareness of the help and support that is available to them. Many people don’t […]
I set up the Leicester West Health and Social Care Forum to bring together local patients, families, clinicians, care workers, health bosses and others to improve services in my constituency. Over 40 members of the forum met recently to discuss services for the frail elderly and people with long term […]
To mark this year’s Living Wage Week, I visited the London Borough of Islington to celebrate the progress the Labour Council has made on ensuring care staff get fair pay. Islington has ensured that all their home care staff are paid the Living Wage, including for travel time between […]
On Wednesday 5 November I spoke in a Westminster Hall debate on the situation faced by Britain’s homecare workers. Care staff do an incredibly important job looking after older and disabled people, but they are undervalued, underpaid and undertrained. Hundreds of thousands are on zero-hours contracts and don’t even get […]
