North Shropshire’s new MP arrives in Westminster with demand for Javid to fix ambulance crisis
North Shropshire’s new MP, Helen Morgan, has used her first day in Westminster to ask for urgent action on the ambulance crisis facing Shropshire and areas across the country.
Within two hours of being sworn in as an MP, Helen Morgan asked the Prime Minister a question in the House of Commons on the ambulance crisis in North Shropshire.
In her question during the Coronavirus statement in Parliament, Helen asked the Prime Minister to commit to her calls for a “full and proper review of ambulance services by the care quality commission.” The Prime Minister refused to commit to such a review.
Patients have been left waiting hours for ambulances to arrive in Shropshire, and in recent months, four local ambulance stations have closed in Shropshire despite the crisis. It has left residents with horror stories, with services being overstretched and struggling under pressure.
Commenting after her question Helen Morgan MP said:
“There is no time to waste in solving the local ambulance crisis which is a life and death situation in Shropshire.
“It is essential that the Prime Minister and his Government tackle this crisis. It was disappointing to see him turn down my call for a full and proper review into services.
“What I heard from thousands of conversations with local people during the by-election, is that the local health crisis is the top concern in Shropshire. Yet the Prime Minister today couldn’t even acknowledge this and be willing to take action.
“I was elected as the MP for our area to stand up for our local health services and I will continue to do just that, holding the Prime Minister to account and making sure residents have a strong voice on their side.”
Helen will also write to the Health Secretary Sajid Javid calling for an urgent meeting with the West Midlands Ambulance Trust, which asked to see him over four months ago.
The Trust asked to meet with Sajid Javid after declaring long waiting times posed a “catastrophic risk” to patients. Patients have been left waiting hours for ambulances to arrive, and in one case, a 95-year-old woman in Shropshire was left waiting 11 hours for an ambulance to take her to hospital.
In recent months, four local ambulance stations have closed in Shropshire despite the crisis.
The crisis has also been worsened by the surge in Covid cases due to the Omicron variant, which has seen ambulances being taken off the road across the country due to staff absences.
Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Ed Davey MP, said:
“Boris Johnson has still not woken up to North Shropshire’s damning verdict on his out of touch Government. I told him after the Liberal Democrats’ victory in Chesham and Amersham that his Government must change, yet he arrogantly ignored that message from voters. If he continues to ignore people like this, Liberal Democrats will be there to represent them instead.
“Helen’s inspiring campaign gave hope not just to people in North Shropshire, but to millions of people across our country who are desperate for change. I am proud my party is fighting for a fair deal for everyone and thrilled that Helen will make an exceptional addition to the Liberal Democrat team in Parliament.”
