Ministers letting Surrey “grind to a halt” with 248,196 on NHS waiting lists 

Ministers letting Surrey “grind to a halt” with 248,196 on NHS waiting lists 

There are 248,196 people waiting for NHS treatment in Surrey, according to research from the House of Commons Library, commissioned by the Liberal Democrats. 

The Liberal Democrats said the “terrifying” figures show Ministers have let Surrey “grind to a halt” under the pressure of growing NHS backlogs. 

The party has criticised the Conservative government for failing to prioritise the NHS in the recent Autumn Statement despite the huge economic impact of people unable to return to work because they are waiting for treatment. 

Separate ONS figures show that a record high 2.6 million people are inactive across the country are out of work due to long-term sickness, up from two million in 2019. 

The Liberal Democrats have set out a plan to fix the crisis in NHS and care, including giving people a legal right to see their GP within seven days, increasing the Carer’s Minimum Wage to tackle soaring vacancies, and giving people a guarantee to begin cancer treatment within 62 days of being diagnosed. 

Will Forster, Leader of Surrey Lib Dems said: 

“People in Surrey deserve an NHS that is there to look after them when they are in need. Instead, this Conservative government has run our local health services into the ground. 

“It should not be too much to ask for people in Surrey to be able to get a GP appointment when they need one or get the treatment they deserve in time.  

“That is why the Liberal Democrats are calling for urgent investment in the NHS to bring down waiting lists as the health service prepares for yet another winter crisis under this Conservative government.  

“The Prime Minister’s abject failure to bring down the NHS backlogs like he promised is having real consequences for our community. Far too many people are being made to suffer unnecessarily at the hands of the Conservative party’s incompetence.”