Dear Constituent,

Hello and welcome to the Denton and Reddish Weekly News! 

A reminder that this weekend there's a fantastic Band In The Park at Ryecroft Hall. Organised by Team Audenshaw Councillors, it promises to be a fun day out for all the family. Scroll down to the community board for more info. 

Parliament returns next week after summer recess, and there's an awful lot to discuss, debate and scrutinise. Check-in next week for an update on what's been going on!

Andrew Gwynne, MP for Denton and Reddish, has raised concerns over a so-called ‘postcode lottery’ in cancer care.

Gwynne, who also serves as Labour’s Shadow Public Health Minister, has commented on new analysis that lays bare the extent of regional inequalities in cancer treatment with more than 1-in-5 patients with cancerous tumours waiting longer than two months to have them removed in some parts of England.

In Greater Manchester, 38.5% of cancer patients are waiting longer than two months for chemotherapy treatment. In the Thames Valley, the same figure sits at 19.9%.

The analysis also reveals that patients in more deprived parts of the country are more likely to have their cancer diagnosed late, with 47% of cancer patients in the most deprived communities being diagnosed late, compared to 39% in the least deprived. An estimated 1,857 cancer patients in the most deprived communities were diagnosed late in March of this year, and more than 9,800 across England.

So far in 2023, more than 95,000 people with an urgent referral for suspected cancer have had to wait more than two weeks to see a consultant. The NHS target was that 93% of patients should be seen within 2 weeks, until the target was scrapped last week. 2022/23 was the worst year on record against this target.

Labour has made clearing the cancer backlogs and improving survival rates through early diagnosis a core part of its mission to build an NHS fit for the future.

Andrew Gwynne MP, Labour’s Shadow Public Health Minister, said:

“Receiving the fast and quality cancer care should not depend on your postcode.

“13 years of Conservative mismanagement of the NHS has left the health service unable to be there for too many people when they need it.

“Getting cancer patients treated on time again will be a mission of the next Labour government."

Here in Tameside, people are rightly worried about the NHS. After 13 years of neglect, waiting lists are at record highs, patient satisfaction is at record lows, and for many working in the health service, it feels as if there is no light at the end of the tunnel.

I believe in the NHS to my bones. The current crisis is not the default position of our health service, it is the consequence of Government mismanagement. Back in 2010, when the last Labour Government left office, waiting lists were at historic lows and our health service was recognised as one of the best in the world.

Building an NHS fit for the future will be the priority of the next Labour Government. A key component will be addressing problems with the so-called ‘front door’ to the NHS – things like GP practises, community health services and pharmacists – so that we shift the focus out of hospitals and into the community.

When I talk to local people, many are really frustrated that the idea of a ‘family doctor’ has fallen by the wayside over the last few years. The NHS is a health service that should, as the name makes clear, serve the public. I think it’s important that we give local patients the option to be seen by the same GP, but also a choice over whether their appointment will be in-person, over the phone or via video.

Earlier this week, Labour pledged to tackle this problem head-on, by committing to incentivise GP services that prioritise patient choice and allow people to be seen by a doctor of their choosing. This work will come alongside Labour’s plans to reverse the declining number of GPs by doubling medical schools to train thousands more a year. This is vital, especially considering that there are almost 5,000 fewer fully qualified GPs today than a decade ago.

We’ll also guarantee mental health support in every school and community, allowing patients to book specialist appointments without a GP’s referral and thereby freeing up GPs to offer the treatment only they can provide.

I have no doubt that, if implemented, these plans would completely transform the experiences of local people here in Tameside and give them a health service that works for them. We can, must, and will build an NHS fit for the future.

 

Andrew Gwynne, MP for Denton and Reddish, has penned a letter to the Secretary of State for Business and Trade raising concerns about the potential closure of hundreds of Wilko stores.

Wilko in Denton, which sits in Crownpoint North Shopping Park, is at risk of closure after the high-street retail chain entered into administration. Over 12,500 jobs are at risk across the country, with redundancies expected to begin in the coming weeks.

Following this news, Gwynne has written to the Secretary of State Kemi Badenoch to express his ‘deep concern’ over the impact of the potential store closure, and to urge the Government to do more to support workers at risk of losing their livelihoods.

Gwynne also criticised the Government for making ‘struggling high streets and shuttered shops’ the norm and pushed them to match the ambition of Labour’s plan to support high street firms.

Commenting on the letter, Gwynne said:

“The news of the imminent closure of 400 Wilko stores is awful news for the 12,500 employees who are currently at risk of redundancy and their families who have been plunged into real economic uncertainty.

I know how important Wilko in Denton is to many livelihoods, which is why I’m calling on the Secretary of State to do everything possible to ensure that this process is fair for workers and that everything is done to support employees during this cost-of-living crisis”.

🗓️ Parliament has been in summer recess, but will return on Monday! 🗓️

 READ: After 13 years of Tory mismanagement, two-thirds of stroke patients are now routinely being admitted to understaffed wards.

Only Labour has a plan to build an NHS fit for the future and drive down deaths from heart disease and stroke.

Thanks to the Daily Express for covering my thoughts on this awful story. Read the full piece here.

READ: Good to speak to The Guardian earlier this week about Labour’s plans to ensure patients receive high-quality cancer care, regardless of their postcode.

It’s time to end the lottery in cancer care.

Read the full piece here.