After last week’s General Election, the United Kingdom now has a new Government led by the Labour Party. Keir Starmer is the new Prime Minister, with Wes Streeting the new Health Secretary. They’re promising change, but what should that look like for people living with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)?
In the run up to the General Election, we emailed over 2000 parliamentary candidates to share what we want the next UK Government to prioritise. We urged them to focus on:
- Early Diagnosis.
Delays in diagnosis lead to worse outcomes for people with Crohn's and Colitis, and place additional pressure on the NHS - particularly A&E departments. - Better care.
Even after receiving a diagnosis, people with IBD face long delays in starting treatment. Ongoing care is often reactive and disjointed, and homecare services are poorly regulated. - Recognition for serious long-term conditions.
Crohn’s and Colitis can seriously affect all areas of a person’s life, from work and education, to leaving the house and maintaining relationships.
Candidates from across the political parties pledged to tackle NHS waiting lists, better staff the NHS, and improve access to new medicines. The Labour Party manifesto promised greater focus on managing long-term conditions, a move away from late diagnosis and treatment, and to champion the rights of disabled people and people with serious, long-term conditions.
We want to make sure that the new UK Government and all Members of Parliament work to improve the lives of people with IBD, and we will continue to call for action to improve diagnosis, treatment, and care.
Over the coming weeks and months, we’ll be reaching out to all new and re-elected Members of Parliament (MPs) from all parties to share our key recommendations, alongside your experiences, so they can better understand the impact of the current reality for those living with IBD. We’ll also be writing to senior members across Government, to let them know how they can support you to live well with Crohn’s and Colitis.
We need your support to back our calls and make sure your voice is heard by the new government. You can do this by sharing your story and joining our campaigns network to hear more on how you can support us to push the new government on the change needed for those living with IBD.
Hannah Wright, Crohn's & Colitis UK Policy Lead.
Hannah is part of the Crohn's & Colitis UK policy team, working to influence policy makers and ensure a strong voice for people affected by Crohn's and Colitis.
