Tom Brake MP for Carshalton and Wallington has condemned Chancellor Philip Hammond’s Autumn Statement for failing to mention the NHS or social care once, calling this ‘unthinkable’.

Tom said:

“Everyone knows the NHS and social care are on life support so it is unthinkable that the Chancellor did not mention them once in his Autumn Statement document.

“A+E targets are being missed, hospitals are running out of cash and staff are battling against the odds, and mental health is still the poor relation.”

Tom added:

“In neglecting to mention the NHS, health or social care once in the Autumn Statement document, the Government have again shown their complacency and disregard for our National Health Service.

“In social care, a million older people have unmet health and care needs and half a million have had services withdrawn. St Helier hospital is in vital need of rebuilding, and with our local pharmacies in danger of closing, local people are asking why the Government seems uninterested in protecting crucial health services.

“The Liberal Democrats would invest an emergency £4 billion over the next 18 months in health and social care to repair and improve services and to help transform the system to make it more efficient.”