Following the decision to relocate children's cancer services in South East England away from St George's Hospital, I met with the Health Secretary with a cross-party group of MPs to raise our concerns.
When I visited the Pinckney Ward where this care is conducted, I met with Jackson, a former patient there, and his parents, who told me that such a move would be detrimental for parents, children and the hospital alike. I have urged the Secretary to review and reconsider NHS England's decision as soon as possible. The beginning of Mental Health Awareness week was marked by grim tidings that, for the first time in recorded history, the number of people on an waiting list for mental health treatment has hit 2 million.
This is more than the combined population of four major British cities and is a shocking indictment of the Tories' failed record on mental health. As someone who has had close friends and family members with eating disorders, I know just how damaging and dangerous they can be. I was proud to join my friend Hope Virgo at the Dump The Scales march to Parliament Square on Saturday with hundreds of campaigners and activists.
The Government’s attitude towards eating disorders must fundamentally change. They must listen to campaigners and experts, like Hope, to ensure everyone with an eating disorder gets the care they need. Yesterday, I was delighted to join CEN for their Healing our Broken Village Black Mental Health Conference at the New Testament Assembly church in Tooting.
With continued racial disparities in sectioning and the use of community treatment orders, more must be done to bring about much-needed change.
As part of my former role as Shadow Minister for Mental Health, I worked very closely with Melanie Leahy and other campaigners affected by the terrible deaths in Essex mental health hospitals.
The Terms of Reference for the inquiry into this scandal have now at long last been published. This inquiry has been beset by delays since the beginning, which is simply not good enough.
It was fantastic to join Dermot and Alison on the This Morning medical segment again; this time to talk about rashes and what to look out for.
Rashes can be difficult to see on darker skin tones and this can lead to delayed treatment and poorer outcomes, which is why it's especially important to be aware of the different symptoms and nuances.
I was thrilled to join Dermot O'Leary and Josie Gibson for the health segment on This Morning today to talk about working as an emergency doctor in the NHS and when to seek help.
Yes, A&E departments are under huge strain and pressure, but always remember - if you need help, we are here.
Today's announcement by NHS England that children's cancer services will be moved away from the world-class unit at St George's Hospital is profoundly disappointing.
As a doctor, I am clear that this decision has not been made in the interests of patients or their families and we're losing more than 25 years of expertise in the field of children's cancer care. I'm calling on the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Victoria Atkins to immediately review this decision. In today's Guardian, my latest figures reveal that thousands of people are re-admitted to mental health hospitals within days or weeks of leaving it, wreaking havoc on people's lives.
Why? Because the Tories cut a quarter of mental health beds and patients don't get the care they deserve. Read the full story here In today’s Guardian, I reveal the scandal of new mothers being turned away from mental health services.
For some time, I’ve been concerned that new mothers are being left to suffer in silence. My figures show that last year, nearly 20,000 new mothers were turned away from mental health services. Maternal mental health services are being rationed. This is despite maternal illness costing the whole of society £8.1 billion a year. It is an absolute scandal. The 8,500 new staff Labour will recruit are vital to solving this crisis. Read the full article here |
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