At ‘A&E: a casualty of recent healthcare policy?’, a Green Party Autumn Conference panel chaired by Baroness Jones of Moulscoomb, Cllr Gina Dowding, the Green Party’s health spokesperson, presented the green vision for healthcare and emergency medicine.
Jones told conference:
“A&E is only part of our social welfare system, but an incredibly important part, and it’s threatened by staff and resource shortages as well as international agreements such as Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) which would further undermine public control.”
Cllr Dowding said:
“Investing in community and public services is an investment in our economy and quality of life. A healthy society cannot exist without a healthy environment and society. We must strive to provide help at a community level so that pressure can be released from our public healthcare services.
“The environment and human health are essential to our survival and happiness. The Green Party want to make sure that the right services are provided straight at the point of access.”
Dowding was joined on the panel by Dr Chris Moulton, Vice President of the College of Emergency Medicine, Ben Walker, Policy Manager of the College of Emergency Medicine and Alex Blythe, Consultant in Emergency Medicine and Paediatric Emergency Medicine.
Moulton said:
“Crowded A&E departments and the corresponding longer waiting times are dangerous and cause unnecessary deaths. Diversion of services does not work. We need co-located primary care to ensure that patients are given the right services and care straight at the point of access.”
Walker added:
“A&E matters to everyone. It is a safety net that everyone can turn to for help at any day or time. We need one patient pathway as well as community care so that patients who are confused about where to go have the services that they need located on one site.”