NHS funding - open letter to Julian Sturdy MP

Dear Mr Sturdy,

I am extremely concerned because of the news that almost half of NHS areas are planning to cut hospital beds  and one third could close A&Es, because of the NHS funding crisis (as reported in The Telegraph last weekend: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/10/30/almost-half-of-nhs-authorities-to-cut-hospital-beds-and-third-to/. ), including plans to close the A&E facilities at Scarborough.

Besides the impact that this will have on Scarborough (with an extra hour to reach A&E facilities in York or Hull) it will clearly also have a knock on effect on people from York using the already over-stretched facilities at York General hospital.  It will also have a huge impact on the ambulance service as increased journey times will mean that  each ambulance can answer fewer calls.

We are also seeing other cuts in the area including the closure of first Bootham Park Hospital and then the Archways which will have a massive impact on those with mental health issues.  Archways being the only facility in the area to take people below 75 years who need residential medical support and after-care.

As my MP, please could you tell me what you are doing to support the local services at risk of being cut? And what will you do to ensure there is enough funding to stop this from happening?  We know that the health service needs more funding.  The UK spends less on healthcare as a proportion of GDP than any other developed country, and that amount has been cut further in real terms by your government.

Only this week the medically trained MPs (from all parties) pointed out that the £10 billion that Theresa May claims has been provided to the NHS is a lie as much of this has been moved either from medical training or other forms of social care. And the Health Select Committee have called for urgent funding for the NHS to save it from collapse.

Please will you tell the Prime Minister, Chancellor of the Exchequer and Health Secretary that they need to urgently provide additional funding for the NHS in order to meet the health needs of everyone in the UK, and to ensure that there is better provision in our region.

Yours sincerely

Tom Franklin