St Ives MP Andrew George has led a delegation of Cornish MPs to meet health minister Karin Smyth, the first in a series of regular meetings.
Left to right at the meeting are: Perran Moon MP (Camborne and Redruth), Ben Maguire MP (North Cornwall), Anna Gelderd MP (South East Cornwall), Karin Smyth MP (health minister), Andrew George MP (St Ives), and Noah Law MP (St Austell)
There will be an ongoing conversation with the minister to address the crisis in Cornwall’s health and care services. The MPs’ initial priorities are:
- To secure a fair funding allocation for Cornwall.
- Address the systemic issues causing prolonged ambulance queues and avoidable death in 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,” said Mr George.
“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.”
Meanwhile, Mr George vowed to keep up the pressure on government following Tuesday’s effort in Parliament to block plans to withdraw the winter fuel allowance from millions of pensioners, including thousands in Cornwall.
The Commons motion, originally tabled by the Liberal Democrats, aimed to block the removal of the payments — worth up to £300 — from all but the poorest pensioners, but was was unsuccessful.
According to estimates by Age UK, the government’s plan to cut the payments is likely to affect more than 122,000 pensioners in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, including 20,621 in the St Ives constituency.
