Hold them to account!

"I have come to the conclusion that politics is too serious a matter to be left to the politicians"

- Charles de Gaulle.

We have recently elected a new Government after hearing great promises - many of which were regarding health and social care. As health and social care is a common need we have a shared interest in seeing our Government deliver upon these promises.

Many of us are fortunate enough to have access to MPs, Ministers, and party donors, and we are therefore asking that before your next meeting you take a look at the "election promises checklist" below and please...... hold them to account!

• £6.2 billion more this year - 'getting to the front-line'.

• Budget up by £33.9bn by 2023/4. That's £6.78bn pa to be enshrined in law.

• £850m for 20 hospital up-grades.

• £2.7bn for six new hospitals.

• Seed funding for 34 more new hospitals.

• 78 hospitals will receive state-of-the-art MRI, CT and mammography screening machines to detect cancer faster and boost survival rates.

• Cross-party approach to resolving adult social care crisis, initiated between now and March (Listed as a priority for the first hundred days in office and likely to focus on reshaping the Care Act 2014).

• 'At least' 6.5% pay rise for 'nurses, midwives and cleaners'.

• Doctors 'will see their payrise’.

• £5k-£8k annual maintenance grant for student nurses, 'every year' during their course.

• Improve staff morale with more funding for professional training and more supportive hospital management.

• 50,000 'more’ nurses (net).

• 6,000 more doctors in general practice.

• 50 million extra general practice appointments a year, an increase of over 15%.

• 6,000 'more' primary care professionals, such as physiotherapists and pharmacists. This is on top of the 7,500 extra nurse associates and 20,000 primary care professionals already announced.

• Train and employ 'tens of thousands more' NHS professionals here in the UK.

• Overseas qualified doctors, nurses and allied health professionals, with a job offer from the NHS, who have been trained to a recognised standard, and who have good working English, will be offered fast-track entry, reduced visa fees and dedicated support to come to the UK with their families.