Chuka is opposing the government’s Health and Social Care Bill. In May, he spoke in a debate on the future of the NHS in Parliament, highlighting the concerns which have been raised by local clinicians and NHS users, in particular regarding the impact the changes will have on our local hospitals.

Speaking in a debate on the future of the NHS yesterday, Mr Umunna highlighted concerns which had been passed to him by local doctors, health professionals and service users.

He raised the issue that St Thomas’ Hospital, where he was born, as a teaching hospital faces additional pressures and asked why the government’s planned changes to the NHS have not done more to take this into account. It costs the exchequer £250,000 to train a junior doctor and £45,000 over three years to train a nurse.

Under the government’s planned changes, NHS providers such as St Thomas’ would need to compete with private sector companies to get work commissioned by GPs. Given the additional burdens of teaching, there are questions on how teaching hospitals will be able to compete in this way.

There have also been reports that St George’s Hospital is facing job cuts of more than 500, while the London Ambulance Service has said that it expects to cut 890 jobs over the next five years including 560 frontline jobs. King’s College hospital has already cut 58 staff posts in the last year.

Local primary care trusts, including Lambeth PCTs, are in process of being abolished and replaced by GP consortia. Mr Umunna raised the upheaval and worry that this will cause locally, and asked whether because of transfer of undertakings regulations, the rights of employees working for the PCT would be protected and they would retain the same terms and conditions.

Since 1997, Streatham has benefitted from six new and improved health centres including Baldry Gardens and Edith Cavell Surgery. There has been an 18 per cent reduction in deaths from cancer in Lambeth since the mid-1990s and a 45 per cent reduction in mortality rates from cardiovascular disease, covering conditions such as heart disease and stroke.

Commenting, Mr Umunna said:

“Our local hospitals, clinics and surgeries and their staff do fantastic work every day and I am always struck by the dedication of those whose work makes the NHS what it is.

“Not one clinician I’ve met locally has told me they think the government’s proposed reforms will deliver better outcomes and treatment for my constituents.”

The Labour Party manifesto aims to build on this firm foundation by giving patients legally enforceable guarantees.

The first of these came into effect on 1 April 2010: if your GP suspects that you may have cancer you are guaranteed to see a specialist in two weeks. Labour will add to this, guaranteeing diagnostic tests for cancer in one week. Treatment will be guaranteed to start within 18 weeks of seeing a GP, otherwise the NHS will fund a private alternative.

The NHS is a world-class health service, however Labour wants to improve its capacity for preventative care. This emphasis on preventative medicine can be seen in the ambitious project Change 4 Life which aims to promote a healthier and more active lifestyle.

Further to this, regular health checks will be guaranteed for people between the ages of 40 and 74, which could help prevent as many as 10,000 heart attacks and strokes every year.

Labour will aim to make it easier for people to access the NHS services by expanding the availability of GP led health centers which are open 7 days a week from ’8 til 8′.

People will be able to register with a GP anywhere they choose, including near their work if that makes accessing NHS services easier, while a national ’111′ telephone will be introduced making it easier to access and book non-emergency medical services.

The full details of all Labour’s manifesto pledges can be found on the manifesto section of the website.

In this video, Chuka discusses Labour delivery in Streatham outside Gracefield Gardens Health Centre.

Having opened in 2008, the centre gives residents access to council and health services under one roof including GPs, nursing, foot health, baby clinic, midwifery and specialist therapy, and represents £8.9m of government investment.

In this video, Chuka discusses what Labour has done for local health services outside NHS Baldry Gardens, a fantastic new health facility due to open this summer.

It will provide new premises for a popular GP practice as well as a large community space used for health activities including baby clinics and exercise classes.

In February, Keith Hill took part in the topping out ceremony of the new building along with Chair of NHS Lambeth Caroline Hewitt and Dr Jim Hill, a GP at Drakewood Surgery.

Baldry Gardens is one of six new or improved health centres across the Streatham Constituency since 1997.

Demonstrating how the NHS is safe in the hands of a Labour government, there has been an average annual increase of 6.7% in resources since 1999. However, we cannot be content to rest on our laurels, and this is why we are continually adapting and improving the service.

With this in mind Labour has turned the time targets which have improved the delivery of vital medical services into legally enforceable rights. The NHS constitution sets out what professionals, patients and the public can expect from the NHS.

Since April 1st of this year, patients have had the legally enforceable right to be seen by a specialist within 2 weeks if they are expected to have cancer. Further to this, over the next five years the Labour Party will deliver its commitment to provide diagnosis for suspected lung, colorectal or ovarian cancer within a week, which could save up to 10,000 lives per year.

The Health Secretary, Andy Burnham, commented:

“As the NHS continues to improve, so will its Constitution – that is why we are already looking ahead at future rights. We want patients to have the legal right to key diagnostic tests and results for patients who may have cancer within one week of seeing a GP, to die at home, to evening and weekend access to GPs, and to access to NHS dentistry.

“As the NHS strives to move from good to great and becomes more people-centred and preventative, the Constitution will ensure that all the improvements it makes can be safeguarded for generations to come.”

Details of the rights you are entitled to as a patient of the NHS can be found on the NHS website, and if you wish to support this initiative then you can pledge your support at www.votenhs.com.

The white paper puts forward 6 founding principles for the universal care system, the National Care Service should:

• Be universal: It should support all those who need it, when they need it.
• Be free at point of use: The provision of quality care shouldn’t be based on wealth, but should be based on need.
• Work in partnership: It needs to involve all those groups – public, private and NGOs – providing individuals with care services.
• Offer choice and control: People should be treated with the respect and dignity they deserve.
• Supporting carers, families and community life: The system needs to recognise and support the contributions made by families carers and communities.
• Be accessible: It should be easy to access and understand, helping people make the choices that are right for them.

This is obviously an ambitious project, and in recognition of this fact Labour have set out three stages in which a truly universal National Care Service can be created. The first phase is the Personal Care at Home Bill that the Government is currently taking through Parliament, this will provide 400,000 people with free care. Secondly, by 2014 Labour would aim to provide free care for anyone who spends more than 2 years in residential care. Finally, the introduction of a fully-fledged National Care Service, though this would have to be introduced after the next Parliament.

The proposals for a universally available system of care would require everyone to make a fair contribution, however a range of deferred payment options could be offered. Different payment methods will suit different people, and for this reason we believe that options should be offered that fit with people’s circumstances.

Age Concern are currently running a consultation on the proposals offered by Labour, you can let them know what you think on their website or by emailing them at care {at} ace.org(.)uk.

The NHS has made significant progress on cancer treatment under Labour; from extending screening for breast and bowel cancer to reducing waiting times for referral and treatment for cancer patients.

Labour’s new cancer strategy will do more to prevent cancer, diagnose cancer more quickly and provide even better care. Measures will include further extending breast and bowel cancer screening, investing £200 million to increase radiotherapy capacity and a new HPV vaccine to help reduce cervical cancer. Under these plans those who have, or have had, cancer will be offered free one-to-one care in their homes by a specialist personal nurse.

Speaking about the plans Gordon Brown said: “Instead of arriving at a hospital and hoping to see the nurse or the doctor you had before, that nurse will stay with you. And that nurse would be able to help you at home as well as when you arrive at the hospital. This one-to-one care is how we plan to develop lots of other services in future.”

Chuka Umunna commented: “This new strategy means that patients will have a cancer test within one week of seeing their GP, and could result in 10,000 lives a year being saved, including many right here in Streatham.”

Above is a video of the recent topping out ceremony at NHS Baldry Gardens, a fantastic new health facility in Streatham.

The £3.86 million primary care centre is located near Streatham Common and will open in the summer, providing a new home to the Drakewood GP practice and offering primary healthcare services including nursing, foot health, therapy and midwifery.

Keith Hill, Labour MP for Streatham took part in the ceremony, along with Chair of NHS Lambeth Caroline Hewitt and Dr Jim Hill, a GP at Drakewood Surgery.

Our local area has also benefitted from new and improved health facilities at the Streatham Hill Group Practice, Streatham Vale Surgery, Whittington Health Centre and Streatham Hill Clinic thanks to Labour government investment.

For more information about NHS Baldry Gardens, visit this page

The Personal Care at Home Bill will invest £670 million to enable them to stay in their homes, adjusting living conditions with new technology and adaptations whilst also protecting the free care already provided.

Under the proposals 130,000 people will be able to gain new skills that help them to maintain their independence. Additionally, 111,000 people who in the past have had to fund their own home care will receive it for free.

In the long run this will save both social care services and the NHS money, and will form the first step towards a new National Care Service.

Chuka Umunna said : “Labour’s Personal Care at Home Bill will make personal care simple, fair and accessible, giving hundreds of thousands of people new dignity and independence.”

“Many elderly people and younger disabled people need help with everyday tasks such as getting in and out of bed, washing and dressing. Too many still have to fund the support they need out of
their own pocket – or do without.”

“And what’s more, many have to give up living at home in order to receive that support. This bill will help put an end to this.”

The Conservatives, who oppose a National Care Service, instead want a private insurance scheme which will require people to pay £8,000 for residential care, without support to stay in their own home. Not only does this underestimate the cost of such care, but it would also exclude those unable to pay and create a perverse incentive for people to leave their homes even where this is unnecessary or inappropriate.

The Conservative policy, which also does nothing for younger disabled people, has been criticised by social care experts.

Chuka continued: “In 1945 it was Labour that created a National Health Service, free at the point of use, improving life in the UK beyond measure. And now we are setting out to create a new National Care Service in the same spirit of dignity and wellbeing for all.”