Labour: 'the NHS is better with us'
Hewitt defends Labour's NHS record amid increasing criticism
Monday, 23, Apr 2007 12:00
Labour today launched a new campaign to defend its NHS record, claiming the health service 'belongs' to Labour.
Ministers will visit hospitals on course to surpass the government's target for 18-week maximum waiting times, while the party has launched a new website to highlight its "achievements" in the health service.
The government is keen to counter the idea that the NHS is "in crisis", with the slogan "The NHS is better with Labour".
Labour's manifesto commitment to 18-week waiting times is achievable, ministers claimed, while the NHS is saving lives and treating more patients quicker than ever before.
Health secretary Patricia Hewitt said: "Health is a Labour issue. It always has been, and it always will be. This will be a front foot campaign, with Labour on the streets setting out our message.
"The NHS was made by Labour and since 1997 it has been saved by Labour. The NHS is crafted in Labour values - it is health treatment for all, free at the point of need.
"David Cameron gives a good impression but his actions speak louder than warm words on the NHS. He has voted against Labour's extra investment in the NHS, voted against the dramatic falls in waiting times, voted against the extra nurses and doctors and simply cannot be trusted with our health service."
The new campaign comes as doctors' groups warn that more patients are forced to 'top-up' NHS services with private treatment, blamed on budget cuts and long waiting times.
In a further setback for the government, Unison is today voting on strike action in the NHS.
Health workers at its annual health conference in Brighton will be balloted on industrial action. The union, which represents more than 450,000 health workers, is opposed to the 2.5 per cent pay award and its staged introduction.
Meanwhile, the international development secretary Hilary Benn has been heckled by health workers as he tried to defend the government's record on the NHS. He denied the health service was increasingly driven by "greed not need".