Will you help me campaign for a better NHS in Kingston? Read on.

Kingston’s NHS is in the grips of a financial crisis.

The Primary Care Trust (PCT) are making cuts – closing beds for the elderly at Tolworth Hospital, closing mental health services like Springboard and leaving frontline community health posts vacant.

Kingston is missing more health targets than almost any PCT in London – so programmes like screening diabetics against blindness are seriously delayed.

Yes, there is some good news. Kingston Hospital’s fantastic new elective surgery unit is opening shortly, and the Cancer Unit is under construction. Improvements in cleanliness are showing up in reduced MRSA cases.

Yet overall, Kingston’s NHS is facing cuts. Why?

Two reasons – one local, one national.

Locally, there had been poor financial management. Auditors reprimanded the PCT and there is now growing evidence of proper budgetary controls.

However, the national problem remains. Ministers say Kingston has had too much health cash in the past compared to poorer areas. So our “growth” in funding is now slower.

Yet this channeling of funds to other (mainly Labour) areas has reached such a ludicrous position that those PCTs can’t spend their money and have big surpluses – whilst places like Kingston struggle with deficits.

I am campaigning to stop this madness. That’s where I need YOUR help. I am sending out a health survey to 50,000 people.

 If you get one, please return it. If you haven’t received one yet, please call my office on 8288 0161 and ask for a copy.

Armed with your responses, I can make the strongest possible case for Kingston’s NHS in Parliament.