HEALTHCARE has been identified as a key issue facing all the political candidates in the run-up to the General Election.

The Better Care Together report published in February left the door open for large-scale changes to Westmorland General Hospital, including the possible loss of 150 beds.

This was followed by the damning Kirkup Report relating to Furness General Hospital that identified a ‘lethal’ mix of failures at ‘almost every level’ including a dysfunctional maternity unit and a cover-up after 11 babies and one mother died.

Retired Westmorland-based GP David Earnshaw would like to see planned general surgery remain in Kendal, which would mean overnight stays at Westmorland General where necessary.

Dr Earnshaw said: “The Better Care Together proposals to take this away from Kendal are misguided, and would effectively make the Hospitals Trust side of Westmorland General Hospital a 8am to 6pm unit. It would disadvantage patients and relatives who would have to travel to Lancaster or Barrow.

“GPs need supporting more to be able to be available sooner and GPs need to be installed in all A and E departments with good triage on arrival to decide who of the team should see the patient.

“Maternity services at Kendal should be reinstated to 24 hour midwife presence.”

Mental health is often a neglected element of healthcare and Jonathan Ingram, chief officer at MIND in Kendal, wants to see it treated equally to physical health with better funding.

“There is an urgent need for an improvement in crisis care. I’m sure all the candidates will back the Mental Health Crisis Care Concordat for Cumbria, but it’s the practical side which now needs prioritising. Get it right and lives will saved.

“There are so many positives – practical approaches that complement statutory services, a close connection with the community and real value in terms of savings to the state.

“Any candidate prioritising the charitable sector will be prioritising better services for less money. That has to be right.”

Candidates share their views on the NHS:

CHRIS LOYNES, Green Party
“The National Health Service must be a public service funded by, run by, and accountable to local and national government. The Green Party is completely opposed to any form of privatisation within the NHS and to the false internal market that forces managers to focus on targets and not patients.
That’s why Green MP Caroline Lucas has presented the cross-party NHS Reinstatement Bill to Parliament, which has my full support. The bill will end the privatisation of the NHS.” 

JOHN BATESON, Labour Party
“Only Labour can be trusted to protect the NHS. Under the Coalition’s NHS and Social Care Act, services are fragmented and privatised. Labour will repeal this, bringing health and social care together in a single service to meet all a person’s care needs. We will provide more GPs, nurses and home care workers, paid for by fairer taxation of high earners. You’ll get a GP appointment within 48 hours and we pledge that patients need wait no longer than one week for vital cancer tests and results by 2020.”

ALAN PIPER, Ukip
“Ukip believes the NHS should remain free at the point of delivery for UK residents but not free for uninsured visitors. Politically, it has become such a sacred cow that all sides say the answer lies in more money, but no-one except Ukip dares talk about significant reform. A better approach is to focus on quality of care and how that is being threatened in rural communities. 
We welcome new services coming to Cumbria - anything that avoids travelling long distances has to be an improvement.”

ANN MYATT, Conservative
“We support the founding principles of the NHS: care when you need it, given free, paid for by our taxes. Conservatives in government have protected the NHS budget and will continue to do so. Good care costs less than bad care so managers and staff must focus on giving better care for patients. Politicians must be honest with the public about the challenges for the NHS and the need for change. We must lead by working together, setting aside party agendas and avoiding scaremongering and point-scoring.”

TIM FARRON, Liberal Democrat
“Health issues are my top priority. I will fight to keep Westmorland General open and bring back 24-hour care at Helme Chase maternity unit. I’ve worked with doctors and nurses to bring chemotherapy services and have won the Treasury’s support for a £15m radiotherapy unit. We must end the gruelling journeys for people to Preston for cancer treatment. I am also campaigning to create a ‘small surgeries fund’ to protect Hawkshead and Coniston GP practices.”