Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting says he can’t promise Cornwall will get a new hospital if Labour wins the General Election - but a Labour government would work to deliver the health changes “Cornwall’s crying out for”.

Labour set out plans this week to end the 8am scramble for GP appointments and bring back the family doctor, as five million patients each month were denied a GP appointment last year.

The party has also launched a pledge to improve dentistry in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, a region where 332,134 fewer check-ups and 110,711 fewer fillings were performed than targeted last year.

Mr Streeting addressed Cornwall’s problems while on a nationwide media call yesterday to promote Labour’s health plans. He met local candidates Jayne Kirkham (Truro and Falmouth) and Perran Moon (Camborne and Redruth) at the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro.

With only one major hospital, which gets inundated during the busy tourism season, exacerbating ambulance queues and waiting times at the Royal Cornwall Hospital’s emergency department, what would Labour do to improve the situation at Treliske – if anything?

“Firstly, the last Labour government delivered the shortest waiting times and the highest patient satisfaction in the history of the NHS,. We did it before and, with the support of people across Cornwall, we can do it again,” said Mr Streeting.

“That starts with delivering 40,000 more appointments every week, so we can cut NHS waiting lists; doubling the number of scanners so we can diagnose earlier and treat faster; and training up 8,500 more mental health workers so we can cut the mental health waiting lists. I think that will make a real difference to waiting times.

“Similarly, as we train up thousands more GPs, cutting through the red tape that ties them up should make it easier for people to see a GP.

“Reviewing some of the funding constraints and ringfencing rules in General Practice - which sees the absurd situation where we’ve got patients struggling to see a GP and GPs struggling to find jobs - would also make a very quick difference.”

Mr Streeting also flagged up Labour’s approach to reform of the NHS – especially having services closer to where people live, and out of the hospital and in neighbourhood health centres – as being “particularly important in a Cornish context”.

How will such changes be funded? Will Labour, as the Conservatives suggest, increase taxes to pay for all the proposed extra GPs and health staff?

Mr Streeting replied: “All of the policies in our manifesto are fully costed and funded – promises that we can keep and the country can afford. We’ve funded them through fair measures like clamping down on tax avoidance, closing non-dom loopholes and those enjoyed by private equity managers, and ending the tax breaks that private schools enjoy.

“These policies mean we can fund our brilliant plan to cut NHS waiting lists as well as things like free primary school breakfast clubs, so children start the day with hungry minds, not hungry bellies. That’s great for tackling child poverty, great for educational achievement and it’s also a really good health policy.”

What would a Labour government do about the lack of NHS dentistry? “Cornwall is particularly poorly served,” agreed the Shadow Health Secretary.

“Standing up 700,000 emergency dentistry appointments will make a real difference to people who are currently resorting to DIY dentistry and literally pulling their own teeth out.

“We’re also going to do dentistry contract reform. I’ve asked the British Dental Association to come in on the Monday after the General Election if we win so we can start that process very early on.

“We don’t actually have a shortage of dentists across the UK - we just have a shortage of dentists working in the NHS, and contract reform will make a real difference.

“What we’ll do in terms of recruitment incentives and bonuses will particularly help in rural and coastal communities like Cornwall, where there is a shortage of staff as well as investment.”

There’s been talk over the years that Cornwall needs a new hospital to cope with the added pressure the Duchy’s health system faces. Is that something that would be on a Labour government’s radar?

“We’ve committed to the new hospitals programme. In terms of the new women’s and children’s hospital at the Royal Cornwall Hospital, we are committed to seeing that through and I know enabling work’s already under way. I think beyond that we’re going to take an honest look at the books.

“I’d be hesitant to make promises this side of the election unless I can be 100 per cent sure I can keep them, but I do recognise the unique challenges in Cornwall and I’d love to have Cornish Labour MPs to work with as part of a Labour government to deliver the changes that Cornwall’s crying out for.”