Whats the Labour Government ever done for Health Services?

Since coming to power 12 years ago the Labour government has trebled its investment in the Health service. This has helped ensure that today record numbers of patients are being treated than under old Tory governments, all thanks to the hard work of our current Labour government.

Labour Investments in the NHS

· Investment in the NHS has risen nearly 200% since 1997 from £34.7 billion to £90.4 billion in 2007. Ensuring the health service provided is of a higher standard than the gloomy Tory days.

· Huge underinvestment under the last Tory government left the NHS in chaos, which resulted in waiting lists rising by 400,000.

New hospitals built under Labour government

· The Labour government realises the need for new hospitals and further investments, which is why they have 149 new hospitals built or have been planned to go ahead. This is helping towards a promising future for the NHS.

· Unlike the terrible past which saw hospital building programmes ground to a halt under the power of the Tories.

Lower mortality rates thanks to all the new investment

· Thanks to better quality and efficiency of treatments mortality rates have continually dropped under the Labour government.

· Deaths from heart disease are now 40% lower than in 1997, which accounts for saving 180,000 lives.

· Cancer mortality rates have also dropped by 17%, also with 99.9% of suspected cases seen within the first two weeks of referral, this effectiveness through the positive investments of the Labour party make all the difference, and have saved over 60,000 lives from cancer.

Labour tackles the Tory incompetence of patient treatment

· In 2006-7 under the Labour government a total of 14.8 million treatments were “finished consultant episodes” compared with 11.5 million in 1997-98.

· Now under the Labour government waiting lists have been dramatically cut thanks to wise investment in the Health services, this is shown by virtually no one waited over six months for treatment, compared with the waits that faced the Labour government in 1997 of 280,000 people after continual Tory cuts.

· During the dark days of Tory government, the health services saw their waiting lists rise by over 400,000 due to the lack of investments.

More NHS staff to help quality of service under Labour

· Under labour the NHS employs 249,000 more full-time equivalent staff than in 1997 which includes over 80,000 more nurses, 35,000 more doctors and 4,500 more NHS dentists.

· And since 1997 Nurses’ pay has increased by 58%, with starting salary at £19,683 in 2008 compared to £12,285 in 1997.

Our health service has become essential for the general public, with fast, efficient and quality treatment readily available under our Labour governments.

However Tory governments of past have shown how they cut investment in the health services, asking us to pay the heavy price of slow, poor quality and understaffed services and we all know what that can lead to. And the current Conservative party are no different, showing their true colours as their shadow chancellor George Osborne confirms spending cuts in vital sectors of the country, shortly after they confirmed plans of 10% cuts in public spending which is going to hit the country hardest. If you would like further information on health services available here are some important websites and numbers you can call:

Health advice and information:

www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk

NHS Direct 24-Hour helpline:

0845 46 47

NHS Direct can also provide information about your nearest health services.