With the local NHS facing tightening budgets and reorganisation, it has never been more important to stand up for the local NHS.  As your local MP, Martin has campaigned tirelessly for free local health services. Martin is married to a local doctor and four generations of his family have been cared for by Cheltenham GPs and hospital staff so he never forgets how valuable it is to have a good local health service free to all. Martin refused to vote for the second reading of Andrew Lansley's Health & Social Care Bill and is looking forward to the substantial changes in the bill promised after the Lib Dem spring conference voiced its opposition to current plans.

In 2006, Martin was a leading member of the coalition of local campaigners that fought the 26 different cuts and closures that threatened the long-term future of Cheltenham General and many local services.  That campaign secured the future of Cheltenham’s St.Paul’s maternity ward which was earmarked for closure.  Martin will continue to campaign for the services that matter most to people, like maternity and A&E, to be kept local. For now, there is no immediate threat of these being removed from Cheltenham General. 

Other cuts like IVF services were also restored after pressure from Martin and others.  We did lose overnight inpatient beds on Cheltenham’s Battledown children’s ward and some local mental health service users are still suffering from the aftermath of the hurried cuts and changes.  But Martin continues to lobby NHS Gloucestershire for the return of overnight care at Battledown ward, because he believes it is vitally important for sick children and their families to be close enough for regular visits.  If you don’t have a car, the round trip to Gloucester Royal would prevent a lunchtime visit during the working day, for instance.

And he has continued to argue with 2gether NHS trust who manage mental health services in Gloucestershire to make sure mental health service users get not only the services professionals think they should have but the services they want and need.

The new coalition government has guaranteed increases in the NHS budget but in the aftermath of the financial crisis we can't afford these to be as great as they have been in the past.  Because of rising costs from technology, new drug treatments and an ageing population, this will mean a real tightening of NHS spending.  The government is cutting back on the national Department of Health and abolishing the regional Strategic Health Authorities altogether in an effort to minimise any impact on frontline care.  But Conservative Health Secretary Andrew Lansley is departing from the coalition agreement with the Liberal Democrats by also reorganising local care, abolishing our 'primary care trust' (NHS Gloucestershire) and placing the responsibility for buying or 'commissioning' local healthcare on to GP consortiums instead.  Some of the key changes to the plans insisted on by the Lib Dems include more safeguards against 'cherry-picking' by private companies that could undermine local NHS providers and more accountability in the new consortiums so they aren't just run by GPs. 

Whatever the new system and whoever is in government, Martin will continue to fight for local NHS services in Cheltenham.

DECLARATION OF INTEREST: Martin's wife Shona works for NHS Gloucestershire and Gloucestershire County Council as Director of Public Health although her post will transfer entirely to Gloucestershire County Council under the government's plan.