ANDREA JENKYNS
Wakefield Express Column

Wakefield Express: This weeks Column.

Politically Speaking 
Actions Speak Louder Than Words

I welcome the government’s announcement this week regarding the £50 Million GP Access Fund. It is about time that people are able consult their GP’s outside of working hours; it can be a real challenge to juggle work and family commitments and these reforms will better fit into people’s lives, and take the strain off hospitals.  Whilst this is not yet available throughout the country, it is an important step towards change and will help some 7.5 million people in England. Labour changed GPs’ contracts so 90% of them stopped giving out-of-hours care, with these reforms we are moving in the right direction and I will fight to ensure that residents in the area get the health service that they deserve.

Whilst I fully support and are proud of our NHS, I see clearly the areas in which it needs to improve; which include standards, cleanliness, and more transparency on how tax payer’s money is spent and new ways of preventing wastage. Compassionate care should be the hallmark of every hospital. After losing my Dad who caught MRSA in hospital, it has been my driving force to make a difference in the NHS and two years ago I became the Regional Voluntary Rep of the Charity MRSA Action UK.  I have worked with hospital trusts and schools on educational programs and have seen first-hand that the NHS needs a critical friend who will help improve our service and not a protectionist stance. Politicians need to stop unhelpful scaremongering rhetoric and instead replace it with a can-do attitude of action. I truly believe that, ‘Actions speak louder than words’. 

At times we all take the simple things for granted, and recently I spoke with a lady who lives in Outwood who relies on a motorised scooter to aid her on her daily trips. Mrs Waite explained how the poor state of the pavements is proving to be a real challenge for her.  I spent time with Mrs Waite and witnessed that it really was an obstacle course as she tried to manoeuvre around cars that were parked on the pavement and over deep potholes. The local council have increased council tax and we need to ensure that our money is better spent on issues that really effect local people.  In the recent budget Chancellor Conservative George Osborne announced that an extra £200 million is available to be spent on our roads.  I personally want to ensure that some of this money comes to our area that is why I am launching Pothole Patrol’, if you have a pothole problem please email or tweet your pictures and I will personally ensure the council is made aware of this. [email protected] twitter.com/andreajenkyns