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Tag: Jonathan Ashworth

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2021 Comments on Potential Third Wave

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2021 Comments on Potential Third Wave

    The comments made by Jonathan Ashworth, the Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, on 1 June 2021.

    The decision to continue easing restrictions on June 21st must be taken based on data to keep people safe and prevent overwhelming the NHS. The single biggest threat to that is ministerial incompetence. Today ministers remain engulfed and distracted by internal rows and blame shifting at just the moment we need a laser like focus on this variant.

    Weak, slow decisions on border policy let this variant in, continued lack of sufficient self-isolation support and a stand off with local public health directors over vaccination policy failed to contain it. For June 21st to go ahead, ministers must learn from their earlier mistakes.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2021 Comments on Government’s Handling of Covid-19

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2021 Comments on Government’s Handling of Covid-19

    The comments made by Jonathan Ashworth, the Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, on 27 May 2021.

    Isn’t the truth that his failures on testing and PPE contributed to Covid spreading like ‘wildfire’ in care homes?

    It is clear to the country and the families who lost loved ones that we have been let down by this Government, this Prime Minister, and this Health Secretary.

    The truth matters. The least these families and the country now deserve is clear answers from the Health Secretary and Prime Minister today.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2021 Comments on Local Lockdowns

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2021 Comments on Local Lockdowns

    The comments made by Jonathan Ashworth, the Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, on 25 May 2021.

    Where is the Secretary of State?

    Communities like mine in Leicester or towns and boroughs like Burnley, Bedford and Bolton bore the brunt of this crisis these last 15 months; often in lockdowns longer than elsewhere, felt abandoned without adequate financial support, and families have struggled.

    Can the minister understand how insulting and upsetting it is to us to have new restrictions imposed – a local lockdowns by the back door – and the Secretary of State doesn’t even have the courtesy to tell us.

    Why was this guidance simply plonked on a website in Friday night and not communicated to anyone?

    Why were local Directors of Public Health and local authority leaders not consulted?

    Why were MPs not informed?

    What does it mean for our constituents?

    The family in Leicester who have booked a few days away by the coast in next week’s half term – do they now have to cancel their break?

    Can University students in Leicester travel home after exams, can prospective students come to Leicester to look around the campus?

    The parents in Bolton taking their children to see their grandparents on the other side of Greater Manchester this bank holiday Monday, do they now have to rearrange their plans?

    The young couple in Burnley who have postponed their wedding for over a year and have invited friends and family from across the country to celebrate their special day, is the message to them that the wedding is delayed again?

    Can he take a message from me the MP for Leicester South to the Secretary of State:

    Withdraw this guidance now.

    And convene a meeting of the relevant Directors of Public Health this afternoon to produce a plan involving isolation support, enhanced contact tracing and – because we know from PHE a single dose of the vaccine is less effective against this variant – the rollout of vaccination for everyone and including bring forward second doses for a larger cohort.

    A year ago minister were defending Dominic Cummings on twitter, Mr Cummings now tweets about the lack of competent people in charge. Based on the handling of this latest fiasco, he has a point doesn’t he?

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2021 Comments on the Indian Variant

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2021 Comments on the Indian Variant

    The comments made by Jonathan Ashworth, the Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, on 20 May 2021.

    This is deja vu and echoes the mistakes made last year with Boris Johnson’s ‘whack-a-mole’ approach.

    It beggars belief that yet again local health experts on ground have been left in the dark for two weeks when we know acting with speed is vital to containing an outbreak.

    Ministers need to explain what’s gone wrong and provide local health directors with all the resources they need to push infections down.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2021 Comments on NHS Waiting List Reaching 5 Million

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2021 Comments on NHS Waiting List Reaching 5 Million

    The comments made by Jonathan Ashworth, the Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, on 13 May 2021.

    This week the five million patients waiting for treatment needed a Queen’s Speech that delivered an NHS rescue plan to provide timely treatment for those waiting for health care.

    These shocking levels of unmet care needs risk serious illness and permanent disability for thousands of people.

    This is a devastating verdict on 11 years of underfunding, cuts, understaffing and neglect of social care that left both health and care services weakened and exposed when the pandemic hit. We entered the crisis with sky high waiting lists, cancer targets missed and young people denied mental health support. It’s time for a reset on the NHS to deliver the care patients deserve.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2021 Comments on the Queen’s Speech

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2021 Comments on the Queen’s Speech

    The comments made by Jonathan Ashworth, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, on 8 May 2021.

    Boris Johnson should be honest with the country. Treatment lists at record highs and patients waiting longer for vital care including for cancer and mental health conditions is a consequence of 10 years of Tory cuts and underfunding in health care.

    We entered the crisis short of 200,000 staff across health and social care leaving us exposed and vulnerable.

    The test of whether this Queen’s Speech genuinely delivers for the people of Britain is if it brings forward a proper rescue plan for the NHS and delivers a social care solution as Boris Johnson promised on ten steps of Downing Street almost two years ago.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2021 Comments on Lengthening Waiting Lists

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2021 Comments on Lengthening Waiting Lists

    The comments made by Jonathan Ashworth, the Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care,on 26 April 2021.

    Years of underfunding and cutbacks meant we entered the crisis with waiting lists growing and targets for cancer treatment missed.

    But there shouldn’t have to be a choice between Covid care and cancer care.

    It is now crucial that ministers provide hospitals, our NHS staff and patients with a fully resourced rescue plan to bring waiting lists down.

    That starts with giving our NHS staff a fair pay rise and recruiting the extra doctors and nurses we need for the future. And we need the very best cutting edge technology and equipment to deliver the standards of care people deserve.

    Leaving patients in limbo waiting for surgery risks their condition worsening leading to permanent disability, loss of livelihood and tragically for some loss of life.

    Labour will be using our voice and vote in parliament to demand action to bring waiting lists down and deliver the very best cancer and mental health care.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2021 Comments on Covid-19 in India

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2021 Comments on Covid-19 in India

    The comments made by Jonathan Ashworth, the Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, on 26 April 2021.

    Given our deep links with India, the UK cannot remain on the side lines. This pandemic has been a stark reminder of the interconnected nature of our world and the impact events on the other side of the globe can have here in the UK. Nowhere is safe until everywhere safe. The virus and its variants cannot be defeated by the individual efforts of nations alone.

    The crisis reminds us of the power of international collaboration and the importance of standing in solidarity with our global partners in the fight against this disease.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2021 Comments on Vaccine Supply Issues

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2021 Comments on Vaccine Supply Issues

    The comments made by Jonathan Ashworth, the Shadow Health Secretary, on 17 March 2021.

    People across the country will be anxious and worried that the booking of new first dose vaccination appointments will be paused from the end of March.

    Matt Hancock needs to explain exactly what these supply issues are and what he is doing to resolve them. Trying to dismiss or downplay the legitimate concerns of anxious people waiting for a vaccine is simply not good enough.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2021 Comments on NHS Waiting Lists

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2021 Comments on NHS Waiting Lists

    The comments made by Jonathan Ashworth, the Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, on 11 March 2021.

    These shocking figures show thousands of additional patients are now waiting over a year in pain and distress for treatment and the figure keeps going up.

    Rishi Sunak could have used last week’s budget to give the NHS the funding it needs to bring waiting lists down and address the growing backlog for treatment. Instead, he failed patients by cutting NHS budgets and nurses’ pay.