Scriven takes healthy interest in local services (Paul Scriven)

Scriven takes healthy interest in local services

April 9, 2010 7:26 PM

Paul Scriven visits Sloan Medical Centre

Paul Scriven, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Sheffield Central, visited a new local health centre today to speak to doctors, nurses, health works and patients about Liberal Democrats plan to improve health services for local people.

The new Sloan Medical Centre is on Chesterfield Road and serves parts of Nether Edge and Sharrow in Sheffield Central. The Sloan Practice currently provides care for approximately 9 500 patients who come from a wide mix of social and ethnic groups. They have a nine strong team of Doctors and also employ a team of Practice Nurses. The centre can provide the services of District Nurses, Health Visitors, Midwives, Dietician and a Counsellor.

Paul Scriven said:

"I was hugely impressed by the facilities and services offered by the new Sloan Medical Centre. It will be a tremendous asset for the local community, which is vital as I know that good local health services are a top priority for local people."

Liberal Democrats plan to introduce a 'patient premium' so that GPs who accept patients from areas with the worst health and deprivation scores receive an extra payment per person. This would provide GP practices with the money they need to support patients from deprived areas, giving them resources to deal with any extra calls on their services that such patients might make.

Paul, who has a background of working in the NHS, added:

"I believe that health inequality remains a scar on the nation's conscience after 13 years of a Labour Government, with life expectancy still varying by 14 years or more between the most deprived and most privileged people in Sheffield. While deprivation and poor housing play a key part in this problem, one of the steps to addressing this is to increase access to high quality primary care. The Liberal Democrat plan of introducing a 'patient premium' would do just that."