Interim change to eligibility criteria for free school meals and uniform grants
Education Minister Paul Givan has announced an interim change to the eligibility criteria for families applying for free school meals and uniform grants.
Education Minister Paul Givan has announced an interim change to the eligibility criteria for families applying for free school meals and uniform grants.
The Greens used the announcement to reveal a package of spending pledges alongside a “Green cast iron guarantee” that Green MPs would fight the privatisation of the NHS at every stage. The announcement included a commitment to :
The large spending commitments they say is part of a fully costed manifesto due to be released on the 12th June in Brighton that includes commitments to “tax wealth fairly” by introducing a wealth tax of 1% on assets over £10 million and 2% over £1 billion.
Green Party Co-Leader, Adrian Ramsay and the party’s Health and Social Care Spokesperson, Dr Pallavi Devulapalli, today announced a “game-changing” package for the NHS and social care totally £50 billion a year in investment by 2030 and an additional £20 billion in capital investment to improve crumbling buildings.
Commenting at the launch, Green Co-Leader, Adrian Ramsay said “Today’s announcement represents a game changing package that is more than any other political party is offering. It has been fully costed and could be fully delivered.”
Mr Ramsay, who described his personal experience in recent months supporting a family member both through hospitals and then into the care system, said that “many people” could see that the NHS was “stretched to breaking point” despite the “commitment of hard-working NHS staff”.
Green Party Health and Social Care Spokesperson and practicing GP, Dr Pallavi Devulapalli , reiterated this saying that she had “seen first-hand the impact that chronic underinvestment had on patients” describing long-waiting times for treatments and the impact of living in severe pain unable to work or support loved ones.
Mr Ramsay spoke to the need to “restore dignity both for NHS staff and patients”.
The Greens used the announcement to reveal a package of spending pledges alongside a “Green cast iron guarantee” that Green MPs would fight the privatisation of the NHS at every stage. The announcement included a commitment to :
The large spending commitments they say is part of a fully costed manifesto due to be released on the 12th June in Brighton that includes commitments to “tax wealth fairly” by introducing a wealth tax of 1% on assets over £10 million and 2% over £1 billion.
Key points:
The Green Party will today set out a package worth £30bn per year for the English National Health Service by 2030 – more than any other major political party. The result will see NHS frontline workers’ salaries increased, guaranteeing rapid access to a GP and same day access in case of urgent need, and giving everyone access to an NHS dentist. A combined package that they say will restore the dignity of both staff and patients.
The package also includes an additional £20 billion a year commitment to social care to ensure dignity for those in need and to end the pressure on the NHS from a broken care system.
This £50 billion health and social care offer will sit alongside al £20bn capital investment to bring crumbling hospitals and outdated equipment up to modern standards.
Taken together they are part of a cast-iron Green guarantee to a fully funded fully public National Health Service. Green MPs will continue to fight the privatisation of the NHS at every stage – a commitment no other party is making.
Commenting, Green Party Co-Leader Adrian Ramsay said,
“Our NHS is at breaking point following 14 years of underfunding. Patients are stuck in hospital corridors, people can’t see their GP or NHS dentist when they need to and staff are severely overstretched.
“Greens believe passionately in the NHS and we are the only party to be honest with the public that it’s going to cost money to nurse the NHS back to health after 14 years of Conservative damage.
“Not just by shifting a small pot around, but by asking the very richest in our society to pay a modest amount more in tax to fund the investment we need to nurse the NHS back to health.
“Our plans are credible, deliverable and fully funded.
“With the political will and a fairer, greener tax system we can offer real hope and real change for the NHS we all treasure.
“With more Greens in the next Parliament we will press the new government to take the action needed to restore our NHS.”
The Green Party Co-Leader Carla Denyer added,
“We all know the importance of the NHS.
“But it is only the Greens who are offering a cast-iron guarantee to push back against the creeping privatisation of the NHS.
“In contrast, Wes Streeting, the Shadow Health Secretary, said he would “hold the door wide open” to an increased role for the private sector in our precious NHS.
“Our Green guarantee to protect the NHS from privatisation, combined with today’s announcement, represents a game-changing offer for our National Health Service that will restore the dignity of staff and patients alike.
“It offers real change from the managed decline of recent years and offers real hope to all of us who rely on the NHS.”
Green Party Health, Social Care and Public Health spokesperson and GP, Pallavi Devulapalli added,
“I’ve seen first-hand the impact years of underinvestment and managed decline has had on the NHS and the service received by the patients.
“It breaks my heart when patients come into my surgery and I know they won’t get the care they need in a timely manner.
“But it doesn’t have to be like this.
“With the political will we can have an NHS that puts the patient first and ensures world beating quality of care.
“But for this to happen we need the investment and that’s why I am so proud of The Green Party for being honest and brave enough to say not just what needs to happen, but how we can afford to make it happen.
If you want real change and real hope in the NHS there is one party that is offering to make that a reality”
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