The NHS costs each voter £50 a week on average. That's £2,600 a year. We aren't getting our fair share locally. So Charlie Elphicke is campaigning to get Fair Share Healthcare for Dover and Deal. Pictured is Charlie with Health Secretary Andrew Lansley MP meeting the Dover Hospital Action Group.
In thirteen years of Labour Government, local healthcare got into a serious mess:
- Dover Buckland was systematically destroyed - a polyclinic is planned, although the previous Government's incompetence put even that at risk. They also wanted to locate it on the Buckland site which has terrible access under a frequently bashed bridge.
- Deal Victoria's beds reduced - Health chiefs talked about applying the "Dover model" without any beds, but backed off quickly when Charlie made sure everyone knew what they were planning. Charlie will keep any eye out to ensure Deal's hospital is not put at risk again.
- Dentistry deprivation - with only two Local dentists accepting NHS patients.
- Hundreds of serious infections - in local acute hospitals, as well as problems with maggots, flies and insects.
- Britain has the worst cancer survival rates in Europe.
Charlie Elphicke and the Conservatives are trying to fix local healthcare for the long term:
- A proper hospital for Dover with beds and doctor led emergency service. Build the polyclinic soonest, and then seek to upgrade it to a proper hospital. Charlie pointed to the need for care beds and proper urgent care in his maiden speech.
- Save Deal hospital Keep a proper hospital - no "Dover model" polyclinic. Now or ever
- No polyclinic nonsense so you will keep your local GP surgery
- Action not words the Health minister visited and pledged to support a proper hospital for Dover. We all know that Labour's bankrupting the nation is likely to delay matters, but Charlie will keep pushing for the things we need.
Get involved! There are lots of things you can do to help us get Fair Share Healthcare:
- Vote below in our online poll
- Sign our online petition, below
- Help us deliver leaflets with ideas on improving local heathcare
- Hold a house meeting where Charlie Elphicke will come and explain to your friends why change is so important (email Charlie direct at charlie.elphicke.mp@parliament.uk or phone / write)
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Do please feel free to comment - or email me your thoughts!
- Charlie Elphicke
with all due respect chas, that poll asking people if they want a proper hospital is rather crass. who is going to say no? it is like asking us if we would prefer to pay less tax. the real truth is that we will not get a full blown hospital as we do not have the catchment area to justify it. it matters not what colour the governemnt is.
- howard mcsweeney
While I do appreciate you hold this long standing view, I cannot agree Howard. It is true if you believe in monolithic centralised super hospitals, which is the policy that the current Government has been following. On our side of the aisle, we believe in more localised services. That's why the Shadow Health Secretary came, heard how the GPs want to see a proper hospital in Dover and pledged his support to Dover getting a proper hospital. Now it's not going to be an all singing and dancing acute hospital - yet it could be a great hospital with Dr led emergency services and care beds. One where more can be done locally and patient travel can be reduced. It is important that more services are provided locally - and it would be less expensive for the taxpayer too.
- Charlie Elphicke
chas the main plank of the hospital argument locally has always been "what would happen if their was a major incident in the channel". the emergency services have all said that they have plans in place and are not concerned about the lack of a hospital in dover. without their support, nothing will change.
- howard mcsweeney
I have heard that said. Yet more often people talk about the expense of travel, the long trip for an A
- Charlie Elphicke
A town such as Dover should have a hospital that is capable of dealing with urgent medical issues of local people. While nurses are very skilled, they don't have the training and experience necessary to diagnose and treat complicated conditions.. this requires doctors, 24 hour beds and the supporting infrastructure. Our son, Ivan, has major kidney and heart conditions and it has been a great loss to us since the Buckland Hospital has been reduced to nothing. If our son requires dialysis, should we have to travel to Canterbury, where the nearest paedriatic machine is located? I think not!! On a totally different note, if Dover is serious about regeneration and attracting commuters from London, then these facilities must be invested in.
- Lin Hunter-Johnson