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Few things matter more than knowing help will be there when we or someone we love needs it. That's why I want to talk about health and social care, a subject that often comes up in conversations across York Outer, whether on the doorstep, at my surgeries, or on visits to local organisations.
The NHS is one of the proudest achievements of any Labour government, and something our country is rightly proud of. But given how closely our health service and social care are linked, we cannot talk seriously about one without the other.
We see that here in York. If someone is ready to leave hospital but the right care isn't available at home, they may have to stay longer. If support isn't there early enough, a manageable problem can become a crisis. And if an unpaid carer is left without enough support, their health can suffer too.
Last month, the Prime Minister promised to do politics differently and move away from the point-scoring culture that has left too many big issues unresolved for too long. Health and social care are perhaps the greatest example, with meaningful change kicked down the road by successive governments.
That's why he's working with other political parties to find a way forward, and he's right to do so. As a former Health Secretary himself, he knows why this matters.
I'm a proud Labour MP, but I also believe this is one of the most fundamental challenges in our politics, and one best met by finding common ground across parties, because we can’t keep kicking the can down the road. Whatever we agree needs to last.
I say this from two years' experience meeting truly remarkable people and organisations working across health and social care here in York. I genuinely believe we have some of the best in the country.
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York Carers Centre supports unpaid carers, Age UK York helps older people stay independent, and York CVS connects health services with our voluntary sector. St Leonard's Hospice provides incredible care at the most difficult moments, while York Mind also reminds us how mental health has to be part of this conversation too.
Then there are the people working in health and social care across York every day. Our care workers help people live independently and support those with complex needs. It's skilled, demanding work we haven't always valued as we should, so I welcome the Government's focus on improving pay, training, progression and job security.
We also need to recognise our unpaid carers. Across York Outer, people are caring for a parent, partner, child, friend or neighbour every day, often while juggling work or bringing up a family. Many won't even think of themselves as carers. They're simply looking after someone they love.
Prevention must be part of the answer too.
Helping people stay healthier and independent for longer is better for them and reduces pressure on our NHS and care services. That might mean adapting someone's home, tackling loneliness or making sure somebody gets help before a problem becomes a crisis.
There are no easy answers. We need to look at funding, recruiting and retaining care workers, and getting the NHS, councils, care providers and community organisations working better together.
After decades of talking about social care reform, we cannot put those questions off again. Just as the Prime Minister wants to move power away from Westminster, I want York Outer's voice heard in this national conversation too.
That's why on September 16 I will be starting an important conversation on health and social care here in York Outer, bringing together people working across health and care, unpaid carers, local organisations and, crucially, people with their own experience of using these services.
I want to hear what's working, what isn't, and what people in York Outer think needs to change, because behind every policy and system are people and families whose experiences matter.
It's about whether an elderly parent can stay safely in the home they love. Whether somebody leaving York Hospital has the support they need waiting for them. Whether a care worker feels valued. And whether someone caring for a loved one knows they have somewhere to turn.
Getting this right won't be easy. But if the public, politicians and those working across health and social care come together, listen to the people who use and provide care and learn from the brilliant work already happening here in York, I believe we have a real opportunity to create lasting change for the future.
If you'd like to come along please get in touch with my office. I'd love to see some friendly faces and take your questions.
Before finishing, I want to pay tribute to all our wonderful community volunteers and those hosting our brilliant village fayres and send my very best wishes to everyone who collected A-Level and T-Level results recently, and to those picking up GCSE results too. Finally, as a York City fan, I have to pay tribute to the Minstermen getting their first EFL win since returning to the Football League, yet again in dramatic fashion!
As ever, if you're a constituent in York Outer and there's anything I can help with, please get in touch. You can email me at luke.charters.mp@parliament.uk, call 01904 463 444, or write to PO Box 894, York, YO31 6HP.
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