Whitehaven and Workington candidates quizzed on healthcare issues

• what  they would do to address the lack of doctor’s appointments and shortage of GPs 
• how they would invest in future doctors and nurses and support current healthcare workers
• what they would do to ensure the West Cumberland Hospital retains its services and to help with the recruitment of consultants

Here’s what they had to say…

Josh MacAlister (Labour)

Josh MacAlister (Labour) (Image: Submitted)

GPs are the front door to the health service for most people. Excellent primary care is the key to earlier diagnosis, but too often it is not possible to get an appointment, so Labour will reform the system. We will train thousands more GPs, guarantee a face-to-face appointment for all those who want one and deliver a modern appointment booking system to end the 8am scramble. We will bring back the family doctor by incentivising GPs to see the same patient, so ongoing or complex conditions are dealt with effectively.

Getting the NHS back to working for patients means ending the workforce crisis. Labour will deliver the NHS long-term workforce plan to train the staff we need to get patients seen on time.

Too many patients have seen their treatment affected by strikes. Labour will reset relations with NHS staff, moving away from the Conservatives’ failed approach.

I am absolutely committed to retaining West Cumberland Hospital as a fully-staffed, fully operational general hospital and I want to see as many services as it is feasible to deliver here delivered here. No patient should be travelling to Carlisle or Newcastle for routine tests or treatments that could be delivered at West Cumberland. I am particularly determined to ensure we retain a full service, 24/7 A&E and will fight tooth and nail to protect it.

Andrew Johnson (Conservative)

Andrew Johnson (Conservative) (Image: Submitted)

We are currently suffering from the inability to attract GPs here. Working with the NHS and other organisations we need to produce a genuine incentivisation package for GPs to consider moving or saying here. This could greater flexibility for GPs to split their time working within hospitals to create a more flexible and response service better suited the changing nature of healthcare. We also need to focus on prevention and public health investment. 

To attract and retain those critical people that make our healthcare system function we need to look at a much wider incentivisation scheme. One that includes training, childcare and dependants support, housing and travel. Our health workers not only need support, but genuine recognition of the vital work they do. 

The Conservatives have invested tens of millions of pounds in the West Cumberland Hospital to provide some of the most modern and advanced facilities in the country. This will help to deliver better patient outcomes but only if we continue to attract and retain critical consultant capacity. As part of this we need to put together an attractive offer for the WCH and improve transport links with Carlisle and beyond. If elected I will always fight hard to prevent any downgrading of services across West Cumbria.

Chris Wills (Liberal Democrat)

Chris Wills (Liberal Democrat) (Image: Submitted)

To facilitate more and speedier doctors’ appointments Lib Dems will create 8,000 new GPs - by recruiting more and from holding on to many of our experienced GPs. That will necessitate sorting out pay and conditions.

At the same time I will empower pharmacists, nurse practitioners and paramedics with more prescribing rights and advice roles.

There will be a 24/7 booking system.

Looking at the problems we have particularly in our rural areas, I would set up a Strategic Small Surgeries Fund to give financial aid.

Now I’m getting into my new position of Health Minister, I’ll administer a liberal dose of further policy, so we all have something to boost our mental health too:

• An independent pay review body
• A ten year retention plan to keep hold of good staff
• Flexible working, and flexible, affordable childcare for staff
• Exempt NHS and care staff from immigration, and fix the visa system
• End over reliance upon agency workers

I won’t be able to fix the NHS without fixing care though and this one big thing will benefit West Cumberland Hospital.

Train UK care workers to a much higher standard and give them proper careers and pay and that will transform care.

Jill Perry (Green Party)

Jill Perry (Green Party) (Image: Submitted)

Our healthcare system is in crisis and we are not afraid to say that fixing it will cost money – our estimates say additional extra £8bn in the first full year of the new parliament, so it is important to be both bold and honest.

Access to GPs is really important for prevention of illness in an ageing population and the early diagnosis of disease, so Green MPs will push for a reduction in the administrative burden on GPs by, for example, allowing hospital doctors to make onward referrals without going back to GPs first. We will target areas most in need for our increases in funding for primary health care, of additional money every year reaching £1.5bn by 2030.

We really value our healthcare workers and their skills and dedication so we would ensure that they have immediate and additional increases in pay and we support the junior doctors' call for pay restoration.

Fixing specific problems in specific areas is harder, and we know that it's important patients are treated as close to home as possible. We are confident that the completion of the building and fitting out programme, and the paying medical staff properly will slow the brain-drain to please like Australia, and that our new welcoming outward-looking approach to refugees and immigrants will make it easier to attract staff to West Cumbria.

David Surtees (Reform UK) was approached by The Whitehaven News.