In a recent BBC report, it was revealed that only two NHS trusts in London are managing to meet their A&E target, seeing 95% of patients within 4 hours. Seven NHS trusts have failed to reach their targets for cancer care, A&E, and operations. The government should be increasing funding given to Trusts; it is unrealistic to expect them to carry on without additional resources. By failing to properly fund NHS trusts, the government is ensuring they will be unable to meet their targets, and is indirectly causing its citizens to suffer.
With a backdrop of a government failing to invest in the NHS, the role of the Mayor and the Assembly in influencing healthcare and working to improve Londoners' health is all the more important.
That is why I am encouraging organisations and individuals across London can contribute to the Mayor's consultation for the Health Inequalities Strategy consultation: https://www.london.gov.uk/talk-london/health/london-health-inequalities
The aim of the strategy is to tackle large variations in Londoners' health across the capital. The London Assembly will be pushing the Mayor to deal with the 'postcode lottery' of healthcare, with equal standards and quality for all.
And we know that healthcare is not just about the quality of care you receive when you get sick; everything from air quality to housing quality to your working conditions have a massive impact, and we will also be pushing to ensure the Health Inequalities Strategy pulls together the many strands of the Mayor's work which have an impact on health.
While our government continues to ignore the increasing pressures faced by the NHS; pressures which are taking their toll, both on the care patients receive, and on the morale of NHS staff, here at City Hall we will continue to work to improve healthcare across Londoner, and to reduce the stark inequalities we still see in our capitol.
Onkar Sahota AM is the General London Assembly member for Ealing and Hillingdon. He is writing in a personal capacity.