Lib Dems Call for GP and Dental Care Rescue Plan

Liberal Democrats in Taunton and Wellington have called on local Conservative MP, Rebecca Pow, to back an amendment in Parliament this week calling for a GP and dental care rescue plan.

It comes ahead of a series of crunch votes on the King's Speech in Parliament today.

The Liberal Democrat amendment would give a patient a legal right to see their GP within a week, and 24-hours if in urgent need.

It also calls on the government to publish a dental recovery plan as promised seven months after a shocking rise in the number of ‘dental deserts’ such as Somerset leaving people struggling to see an NHS dentist when they need to.

Other measures in the amendment include ensuring the Conservative manifesto pledge of building 40 new hospitals is met, with many currently facing delays and not receiving adequate funding. 

Taunton and Wellington Liberal Democrats have said that, if Rebecca Pow does not back the amendment, it would show a “callous disregard for those people in the area stuck on NHS waiting lists”.

Gideon Amos, the party’s Parliamentary candidate, said: “Every day, people in Taunton and Wellington are struggling without a dentist or cannot get a GP appointment.

“This Conservative government has brought local health services to their knees.

“Real action on the NHS was glaringly missing from the King’s Speech. The local Conservative MP needs to back the Liberal Democrat amendment to ensure that local health services are put right. 

“Anything less would show a callous disregard for those people in Taunton and Wellington stuck on NHS waiting lists, unable to get the treatment they deserve.”