Services to be implemented as first priority
Imake no apologies for covering the NHS topic again this month, because since my last article there have been two developments. First of all, readers will recall that I said in my last article that the CCG (Clinical Commissioning Groups) needed to ensure that the NHS Trust business case developed Care Services further bringing delivery closer to communities; worked up proposals for the Todmorden Health Centre and widened access to GP services on evenings and weekends.
All these to be up and running and working well before any changes to A&E were implemented.
It is good news therefore that on the agenda for this month’s CCG Governing Bodies are the proposals to delay consultation whilst ‘The Right Care, Right Time, Right Place Programme’ is further developed.
This would indicate that they are indeed thinking that they can’t ‘put the cart before the horse’, and are ensuring that services within the community are developed and implemented as the first priority. Good news. The second development is that my Labour opponent at the next general election issued a challenge to debate the local NHS strategy.
However, instead of asking me directly for a debate, the prospective parliamentary candidate (PPC) used the usual ‘populist’ political tactic of issuing a challenge via social media asking people to sign a petition to call for a debate - instead of just picking up the phone to my office to ask!
Unbelievably the scope of debate offered was for one debate only, in Todmorden, with no opportunity to discuss national issues. How on earth can you be a parliamentary candidate and not want to discuss national issues?
Whilst I have no problems with a debate in the Upper Calder Valley, as it is an incredibly important part of the constituency, I think it only right, fair and proper that the whole constituency gets to hear the debates.
My counter-offer to my Labour opponent is to hold four debates - one in the Upper Valley, one in the Ryburn Valley and two in the Lower Valley - but not only giving him his request for one hour debates on the local NHS, but increasing them to 2 hour debates so that constituents can challenge us for a further hour on any national issue they wish.
Initially he refused this request, until a social media campaign convinced him to accept.
He is either serious about wanting to be an MP, or he’s not.
As vital an issue as the NHS clearly is, an MP needs to be well versed in all the policy areas on which our country’s government has to focus.
I am delighted he has now conceded to full and open debate.