Essential Services

Dear Member,

Our essential services face a toxic mix of excessive cuts and incompetent political leadership

It hasn’t taken them long, but the Conservative Government together with their Tory London Mayor have managed to throw the NHS, London's police service and now the London Fire Brigade into crisis.

Across London essential hospital services are facing closure. In Croydon, we face special challenges.  The NHS is a top priority for me. It is fundamental to people’s wellbeing, and as a local resident I am grateful for the medical attention at Mayday that saved my life.

Croydon Primary Care is in a financial crisis brought on by astonishing financial misreporting - with £28 million adrift on accounts made worse by the reorganisation into commissioning groups. All this turmoil, reorganisation and financial pressure is taking its toll of our precious NHS.

Mayday is also in crisis as the Care Quality Commission outlined serious failings in staffing, equipment, procedures and failing to provide the required standards in Accident and Emergency.   It was the late Malcolm Wicks who described Croydon University Hospital as not “the modern, caring hospital people in Croydon require”. If you were to choose me as the Labour candidate to seek election to become Croydon North's MP, I would be involved closely in understanding and supporting our local NHS and the dedicated staff who work for us.

Challenging Boris, but unsurprised by his ignorance of police and fire brigade matters

As a London Assembly member and a former member of the Metropolitan Police Authority, I am shocked by the chaos and uncertainty created around London's police by the imposition of 20 per cent cash cuts. It is not just that the cuts are excessive, but the damage is made worse because of the secretive and disorganised way they are being implemented. This is damaging our vital police service.

I have challenged Boris Johnson in public about the closure of South Norwood police station. What is most frustrating is how little he knows about the service he is supposed to run – but then we ought not be surprised about the conduct of London’s part-time Mayor.

Matters just get worse: a leaked document shows that the Fire Brigade is planning to close at least 17 of its 112 stations in 2013 to balance the books. Although none are planned to close in Croydon, neighbouring areas would lose six stations, and that can only put a greater strain on our local crews. As a former chair of the Brigade, I can see a once great service being stretched too far. You can read  my thoughts about the Tory mismanagement of London's Fire Brigade here.

What are your experiences of the blue light services in Croydon? Have you recently used these emergency and medical services? What more do you think Labour should be doing on these vital issues?

I look forward to working together with you in the best interests of the people of Croydon,

Val Shawcross AM CBE