Got any thoughts about the NHS and the way it is changing? Come and talk to shadow health minister Diane Abbott in our live webchat today (Tues 15 March), 1.15pm - 2.15pm

[KatieMumsnet]

Diane Abbott will be popping (back) to MNHQ for a webchat this Tuesday.

Diane was the first black woman ever elected to the British Parliament in 1987 and has been MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington ever since, building a career as a parliamentarian, broadcaster and standing for Labour's leadership in the election last year.

Following the leadership election she was appointed Shadow Minister for Public Health, covering a range of issues, including alcohol, children's health, fertility and embryology, maternity services, nursing and midwifery.

If you have a question you'd like to put to Diane, please join the webchat this Tuesday lunchtime, 1.15pm - 2.15pm. If you won't be around then, please post your question here.

[jugglingjo]

I really think that we need a fundamental rethink on the level of support women receive in labour. For most women this is only something that they will experience 2,3 or 4 times (or so) in their lives.

They/ we need high quality, individually targeted support during these crucial hours in our and our babies lives.

Options of home birth, water birth, epidural and a range of other helpful support should all be readily available and properly funded. Knowing the midwife who cares for you in labour is also enormously helpful and supportive, as is having the same midwife throughout ( where possible, and where a good bond has developed)

I was surprised to read recently that there are targets that a midwife should only be involved in around 50 births a year. Have I got that right ?
I wondered if midwifes might attend more births than this, and thereby provide women with more support in labour, and less of an experience that resources are being stretched unbelievably thinly in this crucial area of health care - with huge emotional repercussions too for the woman, her baby, and family.

This is just one idea I had. Whatever the solution I feel so strongly that these issues must be addressed, and resources here increased, whatever cuts may be being made elsewhere.

I'm sure most women would rather have good support during labour than almost any other support in their lives !

How do you feel on this ? What can be done ?

[ThisIsANiceCage]

I want to second sfxmum's question about Labour's intentions towards the NHS.

A few years ago, Labour was already putting out media messages (iirc in the BBC's 2008 "NHS at 60" debate), that the NHS was "intended for Welsh miners in the 1940s, not for us modern people".

Such crude attempts at alienation seem more in tune with Lansley's wholesale destruction, than with Claire Raynor's cherishing and perpetual improvement of a working system that creaks a bit but none the less delivers world class universal health care - and cheaper than the US.

Yes, there are difficult questions about funding an aging population or drugs which extend life by a few months. But restructuring the NHS will not make those questions will not go away.

So my Q is, Diane, what does your future NHS look like?

[ohanotherone]

I live on the welsh border 25 miles from Shrewsbury Hospital. Shrewsbury and Telford hospitals want to move consultant lead maternity services and paediatric in patient services from Shrewsbury to Telford a further 16 miles away. The consultation has only involved english trusts and Powys Local Health Board has had no involvement in the consultation. The predominently Labour run Welsh Assembly have no interest in this issue as all they care about are their south wales constitutencies. Despite midwives and people getting up at local meetings and saying that women and children will die because of this, because of the difficult roads and lack of ambulances and the increased time to the hospital it looks likely that this will go ahead anyway.

My question to you is:- should the fact the the British government has devolved powers to Wales mean that Powys is left with a healthcare black hole???

Shouldn't labour be fighting for everyone not just for people in their own constituencies?

As a healthcare professional I would like to say that when in power Labour spent ALOT of money but not always effectively. Also the standard of care in hospitals was not raised as it could have been given the additional staff etc. that were employed.

[DianeAbbott]

testing, testing, 123

[reservoir]

I would also like to hear about your position on safe and sustainable but in particular the public consultation events that are going on around the country,

Although it is the West Country that are going to be affected by these changes - a great deal of parents with children who are old enough to be worried and care about the changes under safe and sustainable do still travel from Devon and Cornwall to Southampton as well as Bristol. This tends to be older children and not all of us have chosen to travel to Bristol because we are more than happy with the excellent care we get at Southampton. The closest event in the West Country to these places is actually in Taunton and that event is timed to start at 3pm. Not at all useful for anyone who has school aged children.

Young person's events were also planned - a great idea as it is the Young people who are just as attached to their centres as the parents if not more so - but again the nearest one to us in the West Country is in London.

I do wonder whether this is just a foregone conclusion and in actual fact the NHS powers to be do not want us to publically speak up and have our say?

[CheeseEnforcementAgency]

What is your view on the length of waiting lists for treatment which would stop long term problems?

My example (Fairly minor in comparison to a lot of people)I'm currently on a 18m waiting list for Physio in that time I could lose a lot of mobility and therefore my job, my home may become unsuitable for me to use properly and I would have difficulty in looking after my children. All of which could contribute to the need for state resources but a couple of appts now could stop all that.

[CheeseEnforcementAgency]

Oh just thought of another one

What is your view on 'alternative' therapies? I'm currently recording osteopathy & acupuncture for my (above post) problem and so far am a lot better BUT I'm paying £50 a week and will soon be adding private Physio to that which will soon eat into my savings but by doing this now I can avoid long term problems(hopefully)

[QueenBea73]

Hi Diane,

A lot of comments regarding the safe & sustainable review keep popping up - the review that was brought into play by the last government.

The biggest issue should surely be that the review is full of gaping holes and factual errors - and units that are being targetted for closure are on the basis of the recommendations of this inaccurate report.

Surely - the best way forward would be for this coalition government to halt this farce in its tracks and employ a true impartial and independant panal to carry out a fresh review. Our children need their heart units to be there helping them, not fighting error-ridden reviews and individuals who have hidden agenda for self promotion.

All the heart units have maintained the excellent standards required to perform surgery. None of them perform under-standard and all have parents vying to save their excellent care.

If this coalition government allows this to charade of a consultancy period to continue, units that can offer the highest levels of care will close, some children will die from not being able to get to a heart unit in time,families will be separated at their most needing times. You will cost us the lives of our future generations.

What would you want for your child ????
Look into your own heart please and use your brain to stop this now.

[HeartMum1]

Hi Diane,

I too, like other parents listed above, would like to obtain your opinion on the Safe and Sustainability Review of Children's Heart Surgery in England currently under Public Consultation.

My daughter was prenatally diagnosed, born and received surgery and ongoing treatment at Leeds General Infirmary. On two occasions she was admitted as an emergency and without Leeds being geographically present (1 hour from our home) she would have died, twice. That is a medical fact. If this already large unit situated in a population of 5.5 million with 14 million people living within 2 hours were to close it is a fact that lives will be needlessly lost.

Any aspect of the human body can be unpredictable but a child born with a heart defect which then becomes critically ill needs treatment asap, not a 2+ hour ambulance ride to their nearest unit.

As parents, we want a safe and sustainable service but not at the cost of the already excellent service that it provided. You could have the best service in the world but if your child can't reach the unit in time... what then?

Many thanks

[Youremindmeofthebabe]

What do you think about the possibility of the government exempting small firms from Maternity leave rules?

I am quite horrified by it all. Although to be fair it's in the long list of proposed government changes I'm currently being horrified about!

[donnie]

Hi Diane

as someone (meaning me!) who feels mightily jaded and disillusioned with politicians in general, I would like to ask you how hard it has been in such a white, male dominated sphere. Have you encountered discrimination in your position and how did you deal with it? And how can more women be got into Parliament?

thanks

Donnie

[ethansmummy1981]

where is the live chat link please!!!

[helloDiane]

My concern as a hospital consultant doctor (and regular mumsnetter, namechanged of course) is that the terms and conditions of work in the NHS will be ground down in the next few years so that there will be effectively an attrition of the service. For example, staff get paid a lot less than in the private sector, but hang on in for their 30 or 40 years because they know they will get a decent pension. It is difficult to overestimate how much of an incentive that is to retain top notch experienced staff, who are the crucial element to providing a good service.

I think that however much the current bunch of chinless wonders pay lip service to wanting to support the NHS, making cuts going back on their election pledges/ reducing pay in real terms/ whittling away staff benefits on the sly is going to destroy the service, as the best staff find better jobs/ take early retirement/ get burnt out.

I wish you the best of luck in fighting for the cause of the NHS from the opposition benches.

May I also say how heartened I was by the real investment made by Labour in health.

[JustineMumsnet]

Hi all,
Diane is in the building and just settling in. We'll get started in a mo.

[JustineMumsnet]

@ethansmummy1981

where is the live chat link please!!!

It's all going to happen here - any minute now.

[ohmeohmy]

Lansley's plans are bad for doctors and very bad for patients. The frontline workers are not being protected. This govt seems determined to pursue an ill thought out untested policy that will irreparably damage the NHS

What will LAbour do to prevent this happening?

[BecauseImWorthIt]

Welcome, Diane!

I'm glad that you have gained an important/senior position in the Shadow Govt. I was delighted that you stood in the Labour Leadership Election, and did vote for you!

I am appalled by what the ConDems are proposing to do to the NHS and I wonder how much you can really hope to stop them?

I suppose that's a bit of a plaintive cry more than a question!

[jugglingjo]

Welcome Diane,

I always appreciate your robust, let's get things done, approach, and hope you will apply these to the task of improving maternity services, especially for women in labour ( with a small L ), in this country !

[DianeAbbott]

Hi! Great to be with you all Mumsnet. As usual a frantically busy day. Just came from Parliament where we were discussing Healthcare in Essex. On to the BBC where I will be recording a program about Hackney "old boy" Harold Pinter. Also organizing a media response to Andrew Lansley's ridiculous "responsibility deals" on public health i.e. allowing fast food company's to write policy on nutrition.

[ethansmummy1981]

thanks I thought I was missing something

[BecauseImWorthIt]

Apologies for the overuse of ! in my last post ... Getting a bit over-excited.

[ThisIsANiceCage]

Oh, just wanted to add that I'm a huge fan of yours personally; you're one of my heroes!

[DianeAbbott]

@helloDiane

My concern as a hospital consultant doctor (and regular mumsnetter, namechanged of course) is that the terms and conditions of work in the NHS will be ground down in the next few years so that there will be effectively an attrition of the service. For example, staff get paid a lot less than in the private sector, but hang on in for their 30 or 40 years because they know they will get a decent pension. It is difficult to overestimate how much of an incentive that is to retain top notch experienced staff, who are the crucial element to providing a good service.

I think that however much the current bunch of chinless wonders pay lip service to wanting to support the NHS, making cuts going back on their election pledges/ reducing pay in real terms/ whittling away staff benefits on the sly is going to destroy the service, as the best staff find better jobs/ take early retirement/ get burnt out.

I wish you the best of luck in fighting for the cause of the NHS from the opposition benches.

May I also say how heartened I was by the real investment made by Labour in health.

You are right. The Health Service will be unrecognisable when this government has finished with it. And staff will suffer.

[DianeAbbott]

@ThisIsANiceCage

Oh, just wanted to add that I'm a huge fan of yours personally; you're one of my heroes!

Really nice of you to say that!

[DianeAbbott]

@LindsayWagner

Can I have another question or six? What do you think of Lansley's public health proposals? Is it ever appropriate for commercial interests to be a 'partner' in this area, and is this another attempt to downgrade the very idea of statutory regulation?

How likely is it that the BMA will do as the alcohol bodies have done and simply refuse to participate - and would this be something from which Lansley could recover? Is it poss that Cameron has 'indicated' to the BMA that their protests wouldn't go unheard, in preparation for (another) u-turn?

I think that's six.

LindsayWagner ? great question. Thanks for the question on the Lansley?s new public health proposals. Very topical.
The truth is that you cannot conflate corporate responsibility with public health.
Whilst the government needs to work very closely with business and industry, all the big changes in public health over the last two hundred years have been done in the face of huge corporate and commercial interests.
At present, health experts are now warning that up to 250,000 people could die because of alcohol over the next 20 years unless the government starts to get a grip on Britain's chronic drink problems.
The burden on the NHS is also dangerous. A recent report predicted that binge-drinking will cost the NHS £3.8billion by 2015, with 1.5million A&E admissions a year.
Indeed, direct costs caused by obesity are estimated to be £4.2 billion per year and forecast to more than double by 2050 if we carry on as we are.
And yet the Tory-led government?s strategy is a favour to their friends in big business. When it comes to public health, their gut instinct and priority is to side with big business and to protect private profit.
Key health groups and experts have condemned the policies, whilst David Cameron and Andrew Lansley have drinks companies and fast food outlets writing government policy for them.
It is not the Government?s role to impose lifestyle choices on the British public, but the Tory-led government needs to get a grip and implement a sustained response to problems that will have profound and long-term consequences for health and well-being, as well as major costs to the health budget and the wider economy.