NHS Eye Care Privatisation

Patient safety within the NHS could be at risk, particularly in respect to eye care, where regulatory oversight may be insufficient.  

Rigorous enforced standards are required to ensure patient safety, alongside clear contractual and training requirements. The suggestion of artificial inflation of costs to the taxpayer, let alone unnecessary procedures or poor practice, is unacceptable and must be tackled robustly by the NHS Counter Fraud Authority, the Care Quality Commission, NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care. 

I have written to our local NHS Integrated Care Board to seek assurances regarding issues raised in The Times. I have also raised this matter with the Minister of State for Care, Stephen Kinnock, and sought assurances regarding the steps the government is taking to address these failings. 

As someone who has consistently campaigned for a properly funded and well-managed NHS, I am concerned to see further evidence of apparent by neglect of our health and social care services. The NHS was once the envy of the world, but after years of mismanagement by the previous Conservative Government, vital services, from eye care to maternity, are now in a greater crisis than at any time. 

My Liberal Democrat Parliamentary colleagues and I are working to restore and protect our NHS, ensuring that everyone receives the high-quality care they deserve. I’m proud that we have led campaigns to recruit more GPs, support frontline staff and safer staffing, repair social care, fix crumbling hospitals, and improve cancer survival rates. 

On top of this, I will of course champion local NHS services here in West Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. I’ve asked local people to complete my recent NHS survey and would appreciate your view: Andrew George – Health Survey. 

I will of course continue to fight for universal free healthcare and to safeguard the integrity of our NHS, and I am grateful for your communication.