Constituents often contact me asking if I will go along to an event in parliament about an issue they care passionately about. Whenever I can I do so. Recently it was a briefing organised by the Dementia Society about the diagnosis rate in each constituency. In Tynemouth the figure is 66.2% slightly below the national average supporting the case for memory assessment services to be part of any plan to clear NHS backlogs. Diabetes UK also drew attention to the 5 million people in the UK living with diabetes and the fact that 10% of the total NHS budget is spent on treating the disease. Such events and briefings are invaluable and help MP’s with their constituency work.

Both of these conditions go to the heart of the debate over the future of the NHS where one of the great challenges is how to address health inequality. Life expectancy at one end of my constituency is ten years less than the other. The NHS going forwards must shift to a prevention focus. Treating diabetes in the community will save lives, helping to reduce for example stroke and heart attack but it will also reduce the cost of emergency admission. Primary Care is crucial. We need more GP’s –according to recent figures there are fewer than 8 years ago – and other key staff to treat more people in the community. And who better than the family doctor, who knows and tracks patient care hopefully avoiding costly emergency treatment. But that needs a proper NHS workforce plan which this Government doesn’t have.