‘The NHS across Britain is on its knees after 14 years of neglect under a government that didn’t care’-Margaret Mullane MP.

The Member of Parliament for Dagenham and Rainham-Margaret Mullane writes her monthly column in the Havering Daily.

Nothing has shocked and distressed me more, than what I have witnessed on visits to Queen’s Hospital in the last few years. I have been heartbroken to see people already traumatized by their health condition, suffering the indignity of being stacked on trollies in the Accident and Emergency Department’s corridors. 

If I needed any further motivation to want to become the Member of Parliament for Dagenham and Rainham to fight to improve the lives of local people, that was it. The fact is Queen’s Hospital was designed to treat about 300 patients a day through A&E, it currently sees an average of 750 – this is not sustainable. 

I met with the senior leadership team at the hospital before and since being elected and listened to what they believe is needed to put right the deep seated problems. I am convinced that a £35million investment in A&E is required to enable it bring down waiting times, improve standards of care and end the indignity of people being left in corridors on trollies.

I am so proud that it was a Labour Government immediately after World War 2 that created and nurtured the NHS. However good any institution might be, there will be times that it needs improvements and actions to meet new pressures and challenges. That’s certainly true of the NHS after 14 years of Tory Government indifference to its underpinning principles and values. 

I have had and continue to have meetings with Government Ministers to draw attention to the pressures and call for the essential investment that Queen’s and the local community is desperate for.

Of course Labour inherited a mess on taking office in July 2024. The NHS across Britain is on its knees after 14 years of neglect under a government that didn’t care. I know the task is great, and that there are many other public service areas in desperate needafter years of austerity. However, one of my election pledges was to bring down waiting times and improve services at Queen’s Hospital and that is what I intend to do.

Let me be very clear, public campaigning to secure just causes works, our fight to save the Dagenham Police Station’s front counter shows that locally. So I am stepping up my campaign to show the strength of feeling in the community and to secure that investment from the Government in the hospital to secure the improvements that will benefit local people as well as the work of the hard pressed NHS staff.

Sign my petition here: https://margaretmullane.co.uk/queens-petition/ and if you would like to help by collecting signatures down your road, email margaret.mullane.mp@parliament.uk and include your postal address so we can send a campaign pack out to you.

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