MP challenges Prime Minister over rising NHS waiting lists in South Cumbria

This morning, Cumbrian MP Tim Farron has written to the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak over his broken promise to cut NHS waiting lists.

In the space of 12 months (November 2022 - November 2023), the waiting list for Morecambe Bay has risen from 30,950 to 32,964 - an increase of more than 2,000.

In his letter, Tim urged the Prime Minister to use the Spring Budget, which has been brought forward to early March, to reverse real-terms cuts to NHS spending.

Figures in the Autumn Statement show the NHS budget has been cut by £3.5 billion (2.1%) in real terms this year, and is set to fall by another £1.3 billion (0.8%) next year.

Tim said: “These shocking figures show far too many people in South Cumbria are being left waiting endlessly in pain for treatment. People deserve a local health service that delivers the care they deserve when they need it.

“One year on from when Rishi Sunak promised that waiting lists would fall, thousands of people in our community are still stuck on waiting lists with their lives put on hold or unable to work.

“Now this Government is set to do the unthinkable and slash NHS funding even further. Local health services are in crisis but Conservative ministers either don’t get it or don’t care.”