Labour
will today announce that a future Labour Government will immediately halt
the proposed closure of A&Es in England and carry out a full scale review
of all proposals.
Having
listened to campaigners and concerned patients up and down the country,
Jonathan Ashworth, as Labour health secretary will immediately halt the Tories
chaotic ‘sustainability and transformation plan’ (STP) programme.
Shadow
Health Secretary Jonathan Ashworth, will say:
“Labour
will put the best interests of patients at the heart of our NHS so today I’m
announcing we will halt planned closures to hospitals and other services. We
will have a moratorium on the STPs.
“We
have listened to the hundreds of patients and campaigners up and down the
country that have been pleading with the Government to hear their concerns
about their local services. Threats of hospitals being closed, A&E services
moved miles up the road, and children’s wards being shut, have caused widespread
concern and confusion. What is more, these decisions have been decided behind
closed doors, with no genuine involvement of local people. It’s a disgrace.
“The
public deserves better. My first job as Secretary of State will be to review
every single STP proposal looking at what’s in the interest of quality of
patient care.
“We’ll
ask a new body – NHS Excellence – to lead that review. And patients and local communities
will be involved at every stage. Local people should be at the heart of
decisions about how care is provided.”
Follow this news feed: Labour