MAIN CONFERENCE HALLF17 NHS in Crisis
MAIN CONFERENCE HALL
F17 NHS in Crisis
Conference notes the recent publication of NHS White Papers for
England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, welcomes a less
competitive and more quality-led NHS, but regrets the failure of
Government to acknowledge the extent of the major problems
currently facing the NHS, in particular:
i) Chronic and long-term under-funding of health and social care,
research and development.
ii) Grave actual and prospective staff shortages.
iii) Huge geographical inequities in access to health care.
iv) Large-scale rationing of care and treatment in practice, in
particular by lengthening waiting lists.
Conference regrets the absence of plans for local democratic
accountability, or any substantial moves towards merging health
and social services.
In the NHS 50th anniversary year, and true to Liberal Democrat
traditions:
1 Conference calls on the Government in the forthcoming Budget,
public expenditure review and in all its policies to:
a) Accept responsibility for the local rationing implications of
central budgetary decisions.
b) Make available sufficient funds for the NHS of the future.
c) Deal with the staffing crisis both in the short and long term.
d) Develop a strategy for ending unjustified local variations in
access to health care.
e) Make the reduction of waiting times in the NHS a much higher
priority.
2 Conference commits the Liberal Democrats to promote, lead and
inspire the debate about the future of the NHS in each of the
four countries of a politically devolved United Kingdom.
3 Conference calls on the Government to join the Liberal
Democrats and all others with relevant interests to participate
in a Standing Conference on the Future of the NHS.
Mover of motion: 7 minutes; other speakers: 4 minutes.
Simon Hughes MP Team Leader, Health
Cllr Patsy Calton - Cheadle
Cllr Wendy Taylor - Newcastle
Cllr Jean Fooks - Oxford West and Abingdon
Cllr Barbara Hewett-Silk - Thanet South
Cllr Julian Cooper - Witney
Cllr Dr James Walsh - Bognor Regis and Littlehampton
Peter Price - Bromley and Chislehurst
Dr Peter Brand MP - Member of the Health Team
Motion: Carried Nem Con