Northumberland Labour says the party’s plans for health and social care will give people the services they both need and deserve.

Northumberland Labour deputy leader Liz Simpson said: “Before the pandemic the government was underfunding health and social care with waiting lists and times rising and resources like beds falling.

“This meant when the pandemic struck there was no slack in the system. People working in our health and social care services were nothing less than heroic despite, not because of, the government.

“Now we are emerging form the pandemic there is tremendous pressure on the health service to address waiting lists and times.

“Northumberland Labour is pleased to see the party pledge to build and NHS fit for the future and get patients seen on time.

“We’re also pleased to see that the party is determined to fix social care. The Conservatives’ social care plan is unfair and will not work. It’s set up to ensure that the less people have, the more the government takes. Labour will provide fair pay and secure contracts, work to address the shortage of carers and transform training to improve standards of care care.

“We believe that the way a country cares for people who are vulnerable, older or ill is a sign of how civilised the society is. Caring, in all its forms, is valuable to society and should be treated as such.”