South Suffolk Conservative MP urged to back GP and dentists rescue plan in King’s Speech amendment

- Babergh South Suffolk Liberal Democrats are calling on the local Conservative MP James Cartlidge to back an amendment to the King’s Speech to address the crisis in the NHS

- The amendment calls for a legal right for a patients to see their GP within a week and an NHS dentists rescue plan

- It comes as NHS waiting lists have hit a record high of 7.8 million

Liberal Democrats in South Suffolk have called on local Conservative MP James Cartlidge to back an amendment in Parliament this week calling for a GP and dental care rescue plan.

It comes ahead of a series of crunch votes on the King's Speech in Parliament tomorrow (Wednesday 15 November).

The Liberal Democrat amendment would give a patient a legal right to see their GP within a week, and 24-hours if in urgent need. It also calls on the government to publish a dental recovery plan as promised seven months after a shocking rise in the number of ‘dental deserts’ leaving people struggling to see an NHS dentist when they need to.

Other measures in the amendment include ensuring the Conservative manifesto pledge of building 40 new hospitals is met, with many currently facing delays and not receiving adequate funding.

South Suffolk Liberal Democrats have said that if Conservative MP James Cartlidge does not back the amendment it would show a “callous disregard for those in South Suffolk stuck on NHS waiting lists”.

Liberal Democrat prospective parliamentary candidate for South Suffolk, Tom Bartleet said:

“This Conservative government has brought our local health services to their knees. Everyday, people in South Suffolk are struggling to get a GP appointment or cannot find a dentist taking NHS patients.

“Real action on the NHS was glaringly missing from the King’s Speech. James Cartlidge needs to back the Liberal Democrat amendment to it and ensure that local health services are put front and centre of the government’s agenda.

“Anything less would show a callous disregard for those in South Suffolk stuck on NHS waiting lists, unable to get the treatment that they deserve.”