This year is the 70th anniversary of the NHS. It is also the 70th anniversary of our social care system—but this has received far too little attention to date. Yet social care is more important than ever before. A quarter of older people now need help with daily living—getting up, […]
NHS
Liz joins event to mark new beginnings for community organisation
On Friday I attend an event to celebrate the achievements of community group B-inspired, congratulated them for taking over ownership of the Health and Social Care centre and heard more about their plans of the future. I always enjoy visiting the B-inspired team. They are an absolutely fantastic organisation which […]
Liz questions Health Minister on medical waste scandal
I am deeply concerned that company Healthcare Environment Services (HES) has been found to have not properly stored or disposed of hundreds of tonnes of hospital waste, including body parts. The Environment Agency has now launched a criminal investigation into HES, after finding the firm was in breach of environmental safety limits at four sites […]
Liz attends launch of new Children’s Air Ambulance
Today I attended the Leicestershire launch of the new Children’s Air Ambulance. The new Children’s Air Ambulance will make such a difference to the lives of children and their families right across the country. The Children’s Air Ambulance has now launched two new helicopters, one will be based in Doncaster […]
Liz marks 70th Birthday of the NHS with Macmillan Nurses
As we celebrate the 70th birthday of the NHS, I was delighted to join Macmillan this week to recognise the vital role they have played in our NHS since its creation in 1948. Macmillan was founded in 1911, before the NHS was born, and was a vital source of […]
Liz calls for social care to be properly funded in NHS plans
On 19th June I questioned the Health Secretary about the Government’s plans for NHS funding. The NHS will not be on a stable financial footing unless social care gets a long-term funding settlement, but the Government’s plans mean there won’t be any substantial extra money for social care until 2020 […]
Liz visits Leicester’s new A&E
On Friday I visited the new A&E department at Leicester’s Royal Infirmary. A&E consultant Dr Lee Walker and Geriatrician Dr Richard Wong showed me how they are working to improve care for frail elderly people. Both have stressed to me the huge importance social care and community services […]
Carers Week – Liz pledges to support carers in Parliament
This week is Carers Week and I joined Carers UK to pledge that I will do all I can to support carers through my work in Parliament. There are 100,000 people in Leicester and Leicestershire who are looking after a parent, partner, child or friend, including 8,952 in my constituency. I am backing the call from Carers UK […]
Liz meets with the British Dental Association
I recently met with the British Dental Association (BDA) to discuss their campaign to end fines against vulnerable people trying to claim free NHS dental treatment. It is their aim to make the system of dental fees fairer and easier to navigate. I am aware the forms to claim free […]
Liz writes for HuffPost: Brexit must not leave the NHS short staffed
I contributed to a report by Global Future that highlighted how much our NHS depends on overseas staff, with 45% of doctors in some specialities coming from outside the UK. The NHS is suffering severe staff shortages but health professionals from outside the EU are having their visas turned down […]
Liz calls on Government to increase spending on the NHS and social care
On 27th May I wrote a joint article in the Observer with MPs Norman Lamb and Sarah Wollaston, which called on the Government to accept the findings of new research and spend significantly more on the NHS and social care. The study from the Institute for Fiscal Studies and the […]
Liz visits Macmillan Support Centre
At the end of Dying Matters Week I visited the brilliant Macmillan cancer information centre at Leicester’s Royal Infirmary. Cancer can have such a devastating impact on families here in Leicester. Having somewhere people can turn to for support, advice or just someone to listen, at such a difficult time […]