During more than 30 years as a GP in inner-city Bradford, I have seen systems come and go, with only one constant in all that time – the GP who is there for anyone who is sick or believes themselves to be.
I am standing for the Liberal Democrats because they are the only party that has recognised the NHS needs more money and that increasing demand and expectation cannot be met by finding ‘new ways of working’.
Election 2015
Why GPs should vote Conservative
Why GPs should spoil their ballot paper
The Lib Dems were the first to commit to meeting the funding target of £8bn a year by 2020, very recently the Conservatives have also committed to this although it is not clear where they are planning to get the money from.
It is clear that the other parties are still expecting the difference to be made up by yet more ‘efficiencies’ over and above the optimistic ones already assumed in the £8bn funding requirement laid down by the NHS.
Similarly our proposals to enable more care to be given closer to home are accompanied by recurring funding.
We all know that this is what is needed for sustainable change – not ‘here-today-gone-tomorrow’ initiatives, ‘challenge funds’ and the like.
No one has perfect answers, but the Liberal Democrats have both the right policies, and a commitment to the funding needed to make them happen.
Dr Alun Griffiths is the Lib Dem candidate for Bradford West, where he is also a GP
