Election candidates on how to safeguard and protect health services
Candidates for the Honiton and Tiverton constituency share views on health. Picture: Canva - Credit: Canva
Extra investment and increasing recruitment are among the strategies, cited by MP hopefuls, to safeguard and protect the region’s health services.
Candidates hoping to be the MP for the Honiton and Tiverton constituency have been sharing their thoughts on the state of healthcare in the area.
Among the ideas were investing billions of pounds in the NHS and recruiting new doctors and nurses.
Registered voters go to the polls on Thursday, December 12, to elect their member of Parliament.
Conservative Neil Parish said his party will recruit more nurses and doctors, using £34 billion in new investment.
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He said: "We will improve care closer to home, ensuring regular visits and cottage hospitals are utilised properly.
"In particular, I want a new health hub at Seaton."
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Green Party candidate Colin Reed said he would eliminate under-investment and 'poor' decision-making.
He said: "Revising procedures/services/treatment categorisation as either medically essential or elective would enable smarter decisions, effective investment and better care.
"Legislative enshrinement of NHS as a national treasure is a key first step."
Elizabeth Pole, the Labour Party candidate, said the party will recruit 50 per cent more appointments.
"(We will) fund community health workers and school nurses and provide free personal care for over 65s - a joined-up approach to local mental health care, chasing privatisation out of the NHS."
Dr John Timperley, Liberal Democrat, said generating £7 billion in tax by raising tax by 1p would help hospitals and social care.
He said: "Spend £10 billion of capital fund to invest in equipment, hospitals, community, ambulance and mental health services.
"(I would) co-ordinate cross-party collaboration to sustainably plan and fund an integrated health and social care service."
UKIP candidate Margaret Dennis said it is wrong that those who went without to buy their own home are now having to pay for care regardless of income.
She said: "Lowering immigration levels and leaving the EU will allow us to help more people here.
"Both Tiverton and Honiton Hospitals are safe from closure but are not 24-hour nor major injury/accident and emergency level."
