King's Speech: Steff Aquarone MP says health and care must be a priority of next parliament

This includes calls for a legal right to see a GP within seven days and a guarantee for cancer patients to start treatment within 62 days. 

This comes after shocking data reveals the number of patients not seen within 62-days in the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust area is 1,627. Nationally, data from the Office for National Statistics has found that 7% of those who tried to make contact with a GP practice didn’t manage to, meaning an equivalent to 1.84 million people are unable to have any contact with a GP.

Almost one in five (18%) people who tried to contact their GP said it took two days or more to either book an appointment or receive a response from a clinician. This is equivalent to another whopping 4.7 million people waiting two days or more to hear back after contacting their GP.

The Liberal Democrat amendment to the King's Speech will also be focusing on social care, calling for free personal care in England and a cross-party commission to put the sector on a sustainable financial footing.

Commenting on the amendment, Steff Aquarone MP said: 

“After years of Conservative chaos, we have seen the NHS run into the ground, leaving thousands and thousands of desperate patients here in North Norfolk waiting months, or even years, for vital treatment. 

"That's thousands of people in pain, every day, while they wait. Thousands of people who were totally failed by the previous Government. Thousands of people who deserve so much better.

"Throughout the recent election, I put health and care at the forefront of my campaign, and I vowed to make it my number one priority in Westminster. That's why I'm immediately pushing hard to ensure patients get a better deal here in North Norfolk, and won't stop until rural health services are protected, enhanced and improved.”