Hospital did not fare well under Tories (From Halesowen News)

Hospital did not fare well under Tories

12:34pm Monday 6th July 2009

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So James Morris, Tory parliamentary candidate is now singing the praises of Rowley Regis Hospital.

Pity he lacks local knowledge. As a former member of the Sandwell Health Authority and more latterly a non-executive director of Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Hospital Trust, I have to inform him, Margaret Thatcher’s Tory Government turned down the funding for building the hospital, three times, during the 1980s.

The hospital and the services it provides has gone from strength to strength, serving the local community since the Labour government increased NHS spending to European averages.

Regrettably, people quickly forget the bad old days of under funding of health care imposed by Conservative governments.

The two year waits for hip replacements, three years for cataract operations are examples of how it was then.

And of course, it is easy to forget that the Tories fought tooth and nail to prevent the creation of the NHS by my fellow Welshman Nye Bevan.

Cllr WH Thomas OBE, Former Sandwell Health Authority member, Rowley Regis

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