HEREFORDSHIRE'S Labour Party has spoken out about how nurses are suffering as the NHS "is on its knees".

Labour party policy officer Joe Emmett said how staff and patients are being treated is unacceptable.

"The NHS is on its knees," he said.

"The nurses who were clapped for during Covid are striking, staffing is at critical levels, over seven million people are on hospital waiting lists, patients lie stranded in corridors and ambulances can queue for half a day."

The state of England's social care and mental health provision and England are in danger of failing almost the entire population at multiple moments in their lives, said Mr Emmett.

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On Thursday, November 24, from 7-9pm at the De Koffie Pot, Labour Party is holding an open event that will explore how the post-war consensus of our 'duty of care' is under threat.

There will be representatives from the Integrated Health Board, from the frontline of the NHS - GPs, nurses, and paramedics, as well as social care and mental health providers.

This event will now coincide in the shadow of a nurse's strike, where the welfare of patients is undermined by a workforce that is overwhelmed and understaffed, said Mr Emmett.

"Whilst no patient will be refused care, nurses are making a stand, pleading for better work conditions, pay and ensuring we retain the same staff we clapped for, whilst recruiting new staff," he said.

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"We are at a pivotal moment in our nation's health, it is too important to overlook or to leave in the wrong hands.

"Ultimately, we must ask if we are really willing to let it fall apart and drift into a two-tier system, which will simply increase our inequalities, in both health terms and all of its subsequent consequences."

People will be able to add their own thoughts at the event and are welcomed to bring pots and pans to bang together, to demand better pay, or add a donation to the nurse's strike fund and sign your name to the Labour Party's Save our NHS wall.

"Together we can make a difference and restore and reinvigorate our NHS, social care and mental health provision to the standard we all deserve," said Mr Emmett.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said it values the hard work of nurses and are committed to supporting them.

"This includes giving over one million NHS workers a pay rise of at least £1,400 this year as recommended by the independent NHS Pay Review Body, on top of 3 per cent last year when pay was frozen in the public sector, and wider government support with cost of living," said the spokesperson.

“There are record numbers of staff working in the NHS and we have commissioned NHS England to develop a long-term workforce plan to help recruit and retain more staff.

“We are making progress in tackling the Covid backlogs and have virtually eliminated waits of more than two years for treatment. An extra £500 million is also being invested to speed up hospital discharge and free up beds this winter, getting ambulances back on the road more quickly.”