REBECCA Blake, Labour’s Parliamentary Candidate for Redditch, kicked off their General Election campaign over the weekend outside the Alex Hospital.
She said: “There are clear dividing lines between me and the Conservative candidate here in Redditch on June 8.
“Under this Conservative government we have lost services from the Alex, services we crucially need for our growing town. With enough support, as the new MP for Redditch not only would I fight tooth and nail defending the Alex, only a vote for Labour can save our hospital.”
She added that Labour’s manifesto promises £37billion more for the NHS in England, to be used to immediately halt hospital closures or downgrades across the country including at the Alexandra Hospital.
“Under the current Conservative government, the Alexandra Hospital has lost maternity services and its paediatric department has been moved to Worcester, whilst the A&E department remains at uncertain risk of closure or downgrade.
“This new budget would also be spent on reducing waiting lists, improving A&E targets, tackling bed blocking, and ensuring cancer patients are seen within four weeks.”
She also said Labour would create a dedicated minister for mental health services.
Labour says this is part of a fully-budgeted plan, with the lion’s share of their reinvestment into the NHS coming from raising income tax for the highest five per cent of earners.
