Portsmouth Labour councillor criticises plan for healthcare

THE leader of the Labour Party in Portsmouth has written to health authorities to get more information on its plans for healthcare in the city.

By The Newsroom

Published 25th Nov 2016, 06:03 BST

Updated 29th Nov 2016, 10:29 BST

Councillor Stephen Morgan wants more information following the publication of Hampshire’s Sustainability and Transformation Plan.

As previously reported in The News, the report looks at healthcare across the county and how the NHS can save money while meeting the needs of patients. As part of the plans, the equivalent to 300 hospital beds could be cut and people could have to travel further for care.

Cllr Morgan said: ‘Under the Tories our NHS is underfunded and understaffed.

‘One in four patients have to wait a week or more to see or speak to a GP or nurse or don’t get an appointment at all.

‘Our country already has the second lowest number of hospital beds per head in Europe. We simply cannot afford to lose any more.

‘With recent changes in health services in our city we’re already seeing people needing to travel further to access the care they need.’