Tom's 2007 Health Survey Results

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Dear Resident,

Thank you for visiting my website to find out more about the results of my 2007 Health Survey.

Surveys like this help give me a vital insight into the healthcare needs and priorities of my constituents. I meet people everyday who voice their support for our local hospital and my Save Our St Helier campaign, but this survey provides me with an opportunity to hear from the whole area about the quality of care residents receive from their GPs, their views on hospital car parking charges, and how often local people donate blood.

By consulting residents in this way I am able to speak up you and give a voice to your concerns in Parliament.

Earlier in 2007 I challenged Tony Blair to explain why despite investment in the NHS, St Helier Hospital is struggling, with a direct knock-on effect felt by patients. This Health Survey now gives me the opportunity, for example, to ask the Government why 71% of my constituents in Carshalton and Wallington have encountered problems finding an NHS dentist? It gives me an opportunity to campaign on your behalf on the issues that matter to you.

I hope you will find these results of interest.

The results 2007

Tom protesting at the St Helier Rally earlier this year

There has been a phenomenal response to the Health Survey with over 7,000 local residents returning the form to the office.

This year the Health Survey revealed that 91% of respondents were satisfied with the level of service they receive from their local GP.

Tom was disappointed to learn that 71% of respondents had encountered problems when trying to register with an NHS dentist. This problem is not solely confined to Carshalton and Wallington - nationally 75% of dentists are 'not taking on NHS patients.' It is apparent that there is a real crisis in Dental Care in the UK.

The new NHS Dentist contracts, which the Labour Government promised would allow dentists to take on another 2 million NHS patients, have failed and done little to ease the problem. In fact, more than 1,500 dentists opted out of the NHS just three months after the new contract was introduced in 2006 - this represents an 8% decline in NHS dentists overall.

In response to this decline, Tom has launched a Desperate for Dentists campaign aimed at ensuring the government takes preventative dental care more seriously and provides contracts for dentists that do not force them to abandon the NHS leaving patients stranded. You can read more about Tom's Desperate for Dentists campaign at: http://www.tombrake.co.uk/pages/dentists.html

The Health Survey also further highlighted the level of support for St Helier hospital with 96% of you saying you felt the hospital was an asset to the borough. If you wish to add your name to the Save Our St Helier (SOS) petition you can do so at: http://www.tombrake.co.uk/petitions/

Tom Brake MP fighting to protect the training of junior doctors

Respondents were less satisfied with the policy adopted by many hospitals around the country of charging patients and visitors for the use of hospital car-parks. Only 33% felt this was reasonable.

Another one of the questions in the survey focused on the subject of organ donation. At present over 7,000 people in the UK need an organ transplant that could dramatically improve their quality of life. What's more last year 400 people died waiting for a transplant. In Carshalton and Wallington, 1 in 4 respondents carry an organ donation card, broadly in line with the national average of 23%.

The Survey also sought to assess constituents' views on other policy areas. One issue that generated an overwhelming response was the conflict in Iraq. 89% felt that Britain should withdraw troops from Iraq, something the Liberal Democrats have raised with the Prime Minister repeatedly.

On the issue of ID cards the constituency was more divided. 67% said they would support the introduction of ID cards in principle.