Sick of Brexit? Doctor challenges public to ask about NHS

GP Dr Zahid Chauhan

A Rochdale GP wants local voters to stop politicians from wittering on about the split from Europe and instead outline what they intend doing about our ailing NHS.

Dr Zahid Chauhan believes vested interests nationally are deliberately trying to make the 8 June General Election all about a decision that he said: “The decision on Brexit has already been taken. Meanwhile, patients are lying on trolleys for hours in hospitals, operations are being cancelled and sick people simply can’t get a doctor’s appointment.”

Dr Chauhan (whose opinion is backed by members of the British Medical Association and a new Sunday Mirror survey showing that the NHS is still top priority amongst voters) also believes that the preoccupation with UKIP’s pledge to ban burkas and the debate over whether saints days should be celebrated is clouding the really big issue – how to save our health service.

“Just as Rochdale woman Gillian Duffy became the face of the election in 2010 after Gordon Brown’s remarks got caught off mike, Brenda from Bristol is this election’s symbol. Appearing on BBC News recently, she showed the real sense of weariness around Britain with another vote and yet more talk around Brexit” said Dr Chauhan.

“This is going to lead to serious voter apathy and a lack of democracy if we are not careful. We can moan about the political agenda or try to change it, and I encourage everyone in Rochdale to really challenge their candidate and make the first question they ask of them: 'What are you going to do about our health service?'”

A series of recent statistics has shown that:

• 65 hospital trusts issuing winter warnings that they were under heavy pressures - including six which declared the highest state of emergency at some point.
• A quarter of a million patients being forced to change their doctor because their local surgery has had to close.
• Nurses being balloted on strike action because pay and working conditions are seen as so poor.
• In some parts of the country, two in five GPs claiming they are aiming to leave the profession within the next five years.

Doctor Chauhan added: “Health is the one thing that affects us all. Yet while healthcare professionals leave in their droves, surgeries are under severe pressure to see patients, morale amongst our nurses has plummeted, services to help those with mental health issues have been shut and the social care system has practically collapsed; the national agenda is all about a decision made months ago!

"Of course there is a debate to be had around a hard or soft Brexit and of course the vote to leave the EU could make an impact on our health service. But we have a very real crisis here and now in our NHS. Let us force the issue and demand of our politicians and our media that they don’t side-line healthcare. It needs to be discussed, debated and resolved and our NHS should become the pride of our country and the world once again.”