Dear Constituent,

 

A new influential group of MPs – including Andrew Gwynne, MP for Denton and Reddish – has been formed to tackle patient safety issues for NHS workers, patients and other caregivers through the Covid pandemic and beyond.

A combination of Conservatives, Labour and DUP parliamentarians are launching their new All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) today (Thursday 17^th September), which is World Patient Safety Day.

In addition to Gwynne, founder members of the APPG include Julie Elliott MP (Labour), Nigel Mills MP (Conservative), Anne Marie Morris MP (Conservative), Jim Shannon MP (DUP), Ian Paisley MP (DUP) and Baroness (Fiona) Hodgson (Conservative).

The move to establish the APPG comes as the global focus on caregivers and patients continues after a major virtual conference last week. During the conference, APPG founder member Gwynne spoke movingly of his own battle with “Long Covid” to an audience including the WHO, OECD and other senior international medical professionals.

That conference resulted in a global Call to Action, which urges international organisations such as the G7 and G20 to actively promote health worker safety higher up the political agendas and was one of the many factors which led to the establishment of the APPG.

Andrew Gwynne said:

“We look forward in the coming days to supporting every one of our brave NHS heroes and the thousands of other carers right across the UK, who do such brilliant work.

 

“We will also work constructively with the government to find new and innovative ways to keep patients safe through the Covid pandemic and beyond.”

Founder member Julie Elliott MP, Labour, Sunderland Central:

“In this year of Covid-19, it is not enough to simply clap the herculean efforts of NHS staff.  Instead, let’s use the lessons of 2020 to deliver a greater duty of care.

 

I look forward to the APPG championing the safety of health workers from clinical care to vital ancillary staff and demonstrating again its importance for improving patient safety in our medical centres too.  NHS staff deserve nothing less.”

Founder member Anne Marie Morris MP, Conservative, Newton Abbot, said:

“Patient safety must be at the heart of our NHS and public health.  Patients need to feel safe and be safe.

 

“The Cumberlege Report has made very clear the steps we need to take to deliver safe medicines, safe medical devices and a safe patient experience. This report has just shone a light on a tiny part of a much bigger issue.

 

“This group has a huge agenda to unpack all the issues and deliver very tangible change. It is a privilege to be part of it”

Founder member Jim Shannon MP, DUP, Strangford, said:

“Coronavirus has underlined again the stress that our health infrastructure is under and I am pleased to be part of this group which will focus on the priority patient safety and I look forward to working with members from across the entire House and UK to bring about information that can lead to change for good.”

 

The Coronavirus crisis has seen a lot of ordinary people doing extraordinary things for others. You may have seen some examples of this in the pages of this newspaper as I’ve awarded my Citizen’s Awards over the past few months to people who have gone above and beyond during this crisis.

 

The things that these people are doing are fantastic, but it’s just as important for all of us to do the little things we can to make sure that the virus does not spread. This means things like limiting social contact, maintaining distance from others, washing hands and wearing masks where appropriate.

 

You will all have seen that cases here in Tameside have sharply increased in recent weeks and that is precisely why it’s so important to follow the guidelines that are in place. We need to do this to protect each other from the virus – particularly the elderly and vulnerable members of our community – but also to protect those businesses that have only just started to reopen following the lockdown.

 

I fully understand how difficult and frustrating some of the guidelines are; they have ruined many plans and made life less pleasant. However, if we don’t follow these rules the science tells us that cases will continue to rise and the outcome of this will be further restrictions and less freedom – something none of us want.

 

Unfortunately, communication from the Government (as well as administration of the test, track and trace) has been sadly inadequate, and there has been a lot of confusion throughout as to what exactly the rules are at a given time. I think it is worth noting, for instance, that the “rule of 6” that you will have heard a lot about will not be introduced in Tameside as the Government set specific local lockdown rules when it was introduced in Greater Manchester and other parts of the North West.

 

I’d encourage you all, therefore, to familiarise yourself with these guidelines and follow them closely to keep everyone safe. Meanwhile, in Parliament, I’ll continue to push the Government to improve their response to Coronavirus, make sure that everyone who needs a test can get one and that the appropriate support is in place for those whose jobs and businesses are at risk. We can, of course, get through the crisis but the best way to do this is by all working together.

 

Andrew Gwynne, MP for Denton and Reddish, has shown his support for ForgottenPAYE’s campaign for greater support for self-employed and freelance workers during the Coronavirus crisis.

ForgottenPAYE represents 1.59 million PAYE freelancers and a total of 2.47 million taxpayers excluded from support because of the 50% PAYE rule, where more than 50% worked as PAYE disqualifies any eligibility for SEISS).

These taxpayers have had to survive without any income or government support for nearly six months. They were the first to lose jobs and many face the daunting prospect of being out of work well into the autumn or probably even next year as the economy dives deeper into recession and the furlough comes to an end.

In the Government’s response to the Treasury Committee’s Interim Report, Chancellor Rishi Sunak specifically referred to PAYE Freelancers and admitted that they were not eligible for either of the two main support schemes.

Andrew Gwynne said:

“I strongly support the ForgottenPAYE campaign – it is wrong that hundreds of thousands of taxpayers were excluded from financial support through this incredibly difficult time.

 

“I have heard countless stories from constituents and others who have been forced into real financial hardship through no fault of their own. Whilst others have rightfully received meaningful support from the Treasury, this group have been forced to burn through savings, borrow money from family, take out loans or take desperate financial decisions.

 

“This is fundamentally unfair and the time for action from the Chancellor is long past due.”