Why Labour?

The NHS is the Labour Party’s greatest achievement. We created it, we saved it, we value it and we will always support it. Over Labour’s 11 years in government, substantial and sustained investment in the NHS backed by vital reforms have transformed the service. We have ensured the NHS has the staff it needs and backed them to deliver improvements in quality and capacity, driving up standards and driving down waits. Now we are bringing healthcare closer to communities and giving patients more power and control, making sure the NHS is there for you when and where you need it.

Key achievements:

Waiting lists are down by 614,000 since 1997. Most patients are now waiting less than 13 weeks, and by the end of this year nobody will wait more than 18 weeks for treatment.
Over 99% of suspected cancer patients are seen by a specialist within two weeks of being referred by their GP, and over 99% of cancer patients start their treatment within a month of diagnosis.
Over 38,000 more doctors and 80,000 more nurses since Labour came to power.
Investment in the NHS has trebled since 1997.
Labour has built over 90 new NHS walk-in centres and over 650 one-stop primary care centres, and is investing £750 million in a new generation of modern, convenient community hospitals.
Cancer mortality rates in under-75s have decreased by 17.1 per cent since 1996, saving nearly 9,000 lives in 2006 compared to 1996. We are saving 31,000 lives from cardiovascular diseases every year compared to 1996.

This is a open letter to Cllr Patricia O’Brien portfolio holder for children, schools and young people’s services at Suffok County Council

Dear Cllr O’Brien,

I have just started campaigning for a special school in Haverhill for children that are of mainstream ability but still have considerable difficulties in coping in mainstream schools so it is good news that you are organising a review to create a new day school for children with the most severe social emotional and behavioural difficulties (SEBD).

I implore you to seriously consider having this school in Haverhill. Our town is expanding rapidly and for a large town like ours the provision for special needs children is sadly lacking, for instance the County Inclusive Resource provision has to come right across the county from Ipswich. Towns in Suffolk that are smaller than our town such as Sudbury and Newmarket have special needs units.

We have a large amount of special needs children attending mainstream schools in Haverhill and I feel it is because of the financial implications in sending some of them part-time to special units across the county or full time out of county that our special needs children in Haverhill miss-out. I also know that one of the reasons some have behavioural difficulties is because of the stress in going to mainstream schools. These children also desperately need to be taught social and life skills to enable them to become more independent later on in life and mainstream schools just do not have the experience, expertise or capacity to teach them these essential skills therefore, unlike some of the children who are taught in special schools, as adults they tend to rely on relatives or care workers.

Haverhill Town Council are having a meeting with your special needs Officers on the 25th November 2008 at the Arts Centre starting 7pm to talk about special needs in Haverhill and I would be delighted if you are able to attend.

Regards

Patrick Hanlon.