Articles and Speeches

My Cat and the NHS
24-12-04, Windsor Observer.

"A beautiful brown chocolate point called Bailey, my cat is warm and affectionate. Call me sad, but I really care about her health, happiness and wellbeing.

If there’s a suspicion of winter flu she is rushed to the local vet who sees her within hours.

Once she required an operation. The operation was successfully completed within 48 hours.

So how is that when we need urgent medical treatment we are left to wait for days for an appointment with the GP or consultant? And we can wait months, sometimes years, for our operations.

Something is seriously wrong when cats are treated quicker than people. I am frustrated for our able and dedicated doctors, nurses and consultants within the NHS. They want nothing more than to be free to treat patients in the way they know best.

This Government came to power with big promises for the NHS, but things seem to be getting worse. One million people on waiting lists, more bureaucrats than beds and only a 4% improvement in outcomes compared to a 37% increase in funding. They want to control everything centrally and it simply is not working.

With flu viruses and accidents on icy winter streets the demands on our NHS will be great this Christmas.

It is time to give power back to the doctors and nurses to set priorities according to clinical need, not arbitrary Government targets. Above all it is time to let patients decide where they wish to be treated rather than forcing them to go where the Government decides.

I love my cat, but I care more about the health of my friends and family and the people of Britain."