I have received a number of emails about the proposed National Health Bill.

Whilst I agree with a great deal of the proposed bill, I would not be able to support this action.
I would need to have read all the background information, and assessed the evidence for myself.

I fully agree that the Secretary of State must take back responsibility for delivery of the NHS. This was a disastrous decision in the last bill. Again, it was carried out early in the Parliament.Winchester Liberal Democrats (including me) put in the highest objection and attempted to overthrow the bill.A number of amendments were made but not as many as we would have liked.

In my continuing canvassing when I get a real chance to talk to the public, including the many health professionals who live and work in this constituency, there is no mood for major re-organisation again. It is costly, and damaging. Work force planning is poor and bank/relief staff are used constantly, at high cost, and with resulting variable quality.Shifts are long and professionals are exhausted. The debt in each trust is rising.

Amongst the public who use the NHS, the whole system is confusing- but as far as they see, they are ‘going to the NHS for help or advice or to be cured’. The majority of users have no concept of public health, CCG, helpline, community care etc until it affects them directly.
This creates difficulties. Too many wait until emergency care is necessary before seeking help. The public must be able not only to understand that the service is free at the point of offering but that that they should take responsibility for their own healthy lives if we are to reduce costly emergency care.
For example, a yearly health check could be the norm rather than something taken up by the few.

Regular dental visits can highlight other problems as well as bad teeth!

I do think that there is an element of the NHS that could be privatised. The non-core services such as waste management, landscaping and arguably laundry are examples. The bill must cover this option.
I want to make sure that money which should be spent on medical services, is not spent on tendering processes instead.

NHS England has said it can make £22m of efficiencies by 2020. Like most of the public and many professionals, I doubt that. But demanding a Bill at the Start of a parliament on the problem is just to put a sticking plaster on a broken leg. It isn’t enough.

Mental Health needs are very poorly served in training and delivery of cures and this is not covered adequately in the proposed bill. Liberal Democrats want to see parity of standards for physical and mental health care.

MP’s across the board must look at the implications of Health and Social Care needs of our society in the next 50 years. Norman Lamb MP (our Minister for Social Care) thinks there should be a combined department for these areas – I would like to explore this fully before agreeing to support the proposed bill going through straight after the election.

I hope this shows my commitment to the NHS as a Liberal Democrat and as your candidate who has examined this in some detail, -and listened to patients and professionals across the constituency.

When I am your MP I would have access to research and evidence to back up any decision that I make.
Before I make any decision, I am committed to meeting many more health staff in a professsional capacity to hear what they think should be the solution. And as we hear frequently, even they don’t agree!

If you have any further points that you wish to me, please feel free to come back to me.