‘I’m proud my lobbying helped secure funding for A&E services at QA’

In the past two years, Tory ministers have announced 145 separate schemes promising upgrades, new beds and equipment, but sadly only a fraction of the money has been delivered.

It is little wonder, then, that this week’s announcement on our cherished NHS by the new PM has been met with such scepticism. Here are the facts:

The government has cut over £4bn from NHS investment budgets with continued smash and grab raids, resulting in crumbling hospitals, faulty equipment, sub-standard mental health facilities and the cancellation of cancer diagnosis appointments.

The £1bn given to hospitals for the capital budget is cash that hospitals and other NHS trusts have already been awarded but have been forbidden to spend. The money was awarded as an incentive for NHS trusts to make cuts to other budgets.

The independent think-tank the Health Foundation has said that, even after this money, there ‘remains a major risk to the quality of patient care posed by deteriorating facilities, out-of-date infrastructure and a shortage of equipment’.

It is therefore clear that when health services continue to be cut and the NHS struggles with a shortage of 100,000 staff, announcements by the new team in charge at Westminster falls significantly short of what’s needed to provide patients with the quality, safe care they deserve.

In Portsmouth I’m proud my lobbying helped secure funding for A&E services at QA Hospital, pumping in £58m to redevelop urgent care facilities. Following the government overseeing three closures to dental practices in our city, I am working hard to improve access to local, affordable NHS Dentistry.

While it is clear the government simply can’t be trusted with our NHS, I will continue to fight hard to make sure local health services in Portsmouth get the resources they need. Member of Parliament for Portsmouth South can play in bringing families, across all generations, together around a shared passion and interest.

That’s why The London Mint Office wants to hear from coin collecting duos and speak to those with a shared love for one of the few quintessentially British hobbies remaining.

If you are a grandparent who shares your coin collecting hobby with your grandchild or grandchildren, please contact me at: Scott Wilson-Evans at scott.wilson-evans@londonmintoffice. org or call 0330 024 1001. The London Mint Office Ltd, Carew Street, London