Public and NHS staff are tired of Jeremy Hunt's empty promises
Responding to Jeremy Hunt's speech at Conservative Party conference, Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson Norman Lamb said:
"The public and NHS staff have grown tired of these empty promises. Time and again this government has announced fantasy numbers on extra GPs, nurses and doctors, while in the real world numbers continue to fall. Despite repeated pledges to create more training posts, applications for nursing places fell by a fifth this year after the government recklessly scrapped bursaries for student nurses. Today's announcement does nothing to address the current nursing shortages that are already putting patient care under threat. If Jeremy Hunt really wants to fix the chronic shortage of nurses in our NHS, his government urgently needs to reinstate nursing bursaries, lift the pay cap and guarantee EU nationals' rights after Brexit."
Ipswich Liberal Democrat Councillor Inga Lockinton said:
"If the Tory Government cared even half as much for the NHS as the staff who work within it do we would not have the staffing crises we have today. Actions speak louder than words and slapping new learning fees on student nurses, at a time of national shortage, shows how little understanding and value this government places on supporting and developing the NHS employees the service so desperately needs."
