Labour's Prospective Parliamentary Candidate, Tim Shand, spoke in the health debate in the Labour Party Conference at Manchester on September 24th 2008. We reproduce this important speech in full.
Conference,
"I am proud
to inform you that thanks to the recommendations in Lord Ara Darzi's landmark
report, and the efforts of Labour activists in Guildford, we have been
able to save two of our local hospitals threatened for closure by the
PCT. Moreover, one of these hospitals, the Royal Surrey, is now applying
for Foundation Trust status to secure its future."
"Friends, this is Labour values in action - keeping health care in
Surrey closer to communities, more accessible, personalised and reducing,
rather than increasing, health inequalities."
Petition on Affordable Housing
"Our government
has put public health - promoting good health and preventing ill health
- at the heart of our agenda. This is particularly the case with reducing
sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS prevention, areas that I
work on. We have made record investment to improve sexual health services
to modernise clinics and reduce waiting times." 
"We have created a national programme of chlamydia screening in England.
From the beginning of this school term, we will be vaccinating for cervical
cancer, which will save 400-500 lives per year."
"Conference, I am also very proud to be able to say that teenage pregnancy is now at its lowest level in 20 years."
"Friends, we must not, however, be complacent. Our government must continue to focus on improving access by men and women (young and old) to sexual health advice and services, particularly contraception. We need to redouble our efforts to ensure that vulnerable groups are accessing our free HIV testing and treatment services. Finally, we should continue to promote quality and comprehensive sex and relationships education."
"We are the party with the bold public health agenda. As your candidate in Guildford, I will continue to work to highlight that only Labour in Guildford has the solutions to the real problems and challenges people are facing."
Tim Shand works with the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), a global service provider and leading advocate of sexual and reproductive health and rights for all. See www.ippf.org
If you have any issues you wish to raise with Tim or would like him to speak to your group then you can email him by clicking the link below.
