Minister agrees to work with Cornish MPs to restore our NHS

Commenting after a meeting in Parliament, St Ives MP Andrew George said: 

This afternoon I led a delegation of fellow Cornish MPs to meet Health Minister, Karin Smyth, to address the crisis we inherited from the previous government in Cornwall’s critically important health and care services. 

This will be an ongoing conversation with the Minister; meeting regularly to review progress. Our initial priorities will include: 

• Secure a fair funding allocation for Cornwall. 

• Address the systemic issues causing prolonged ambulance queues and avoidable death in our emergency services.  

• Ensure delivery of the Women and Children’s unit at Treliske. 

• Resolve the severe under-resourcing of Cornwall’s mental health services. 

• Combat the dentistry desert in Cornwall, especially for children. 

We’re beginning to agree a clear set of targets for the government and Cornwall’s health and care services, with achievable goals for this Parliament. 

Cornwall’s NHS and care system is in its worst crisis in its 77 year history. Patients are dying unnecessarily in a gridlocked emergency system. The Urgent Treatment Centre at West Cornwall Hospital is closed at night. Severe shortages exist in primary, community, and mental health services, and dental care is almost non-existent, especially for children. This situation is unsustainable. 

I’m delighted all of Cornwall’s MPs are working well together and that the Minister is keen to support our efforts. I’m committed to work with others to turn things around, support frontline staff, and restore our NHS and care services. It’s assuring the Minister has agreed to collaborate with us to do this. It won’t be easy. Our NHS and care services were left in a dire state and with no plausible work done or workforce plan in place to turn things around.