The mother of a three-year-old girl suffering from cystic fibrosis blasted Steve Barclay over NHS staff working conditions as he visited a London hospital.
Sarah Pinnington-Auld has been at King’s College Hospital for more than a week with their daughter Lucy, three, who is receiving treatment for cystic fibrosis.
She told the health secretary staff were being “worked to the bone” as she confronted him over NHS pressures.
Teacher Sarah, 43, said his appearance at the hospital appeared no more than a photo opportunity.
“He was very quiet,” Sarah told the Mirror.
“His only response was to say there’d been more money allocated in the autumn budget.
“I think he just wanted a photo opportunity and didn’t want to be actually asked about anything by someone whose daughter’s life is dependent on the NHS.
“Lucy has a life-limiting, life-shortening illness.
“At the moment, there’s a 50% chance she will make it to her mid-40s.”
It comes as Tuesday will see the second day of nursing strikes to be followed on Wednesday by ambulance staff strikers.
Sarah told the Conservative cabinet minister how her daughter has pushed off an “absolutely horrific” waiting list because of “the obscene number of people who came through and the lack of resources”.
“The damage that you’re doing to families like mine is terrible because it was agony for us as a family waiting for that call,” she told him.
“Preparing our children (for the) hospital visit, for then it to be cancelled. And I know you look and we’re all numbers, but actually, they’re people waiting for care.”
Sarah could be heard telling Mr Barclay that staff were “absolutely amazing” but pressures on the NHS were affecting Lucy’s care, with her bronchoscopy delayed because of a lack of beds.
“The doctors, the nurses, everyone on the ward is just brilliant, considering what they’re under, considering the shortage of staff, considering the lack of resources,” she said.
“That’s what’s really upsetting, actually, because we have a daughter with a life-limiting, life-shortening condition and we have some brilliant experts and they’re being worked to the bone, and actually the level of care they provide is amazing, but they are not being able to provide it in the way they want to provide it because the resourcing is not there.”
She criticised the government for blaming long delays on the Covid pandemic when waiting lists had been lengthy even before.
“We were short of doctors, we were short of beds going into the pandemic, so I think it is really wrong to blame it on the pandemic,” she said.
She warned that until the social care crisis was resolved, there would continue to be a shortage of hospital beds.
“Until you, as a government prioritise health and social care, you’re not going to free up the already limited number of beds,” she said.
“We just want to hug every member of staff. They are working so hard. It’s so tough for them.
“I want people to keep talking about the NHS and the amazing job they do with such little help.”
Teacher Sarah, from Canterbury, Kent, said their daughter’s recent bronchoscopy - a procedure to check the lungs in order to identify treatment needed to prevent long-term damage - was pushed back by four days to December 11.
They have been in the hospital for continual treatment since.
It includes daily medication and physiotherapy for little Lucy, and they hope to be out of the hospital and home in time for Christmas.
Sarah said it had been a “tough, testing” week but described brave Lucy, who “loves” nursery, as an “amazing girl, with such a strong character”.
The mum of two added: “We are human beings. My daughter is one of those statistics whose life depends on the NHS.
“It’s hard to put into words. It is emotionally exhausting for all of us.
“I was just trying to say to him (Mr Barclay) that I think the NHS is getting a battering, and that more needs to be done to help.
“I don’t know if I struck a chord or he listened, I hope he did.
“I just think the current government sees the NHS as a huge financial strain.”
“We are just throwing (the NHS) away now. My only hope is that this Government is gone and there is something left for a new party to rebuild with.”
Downing Street said that the public should be “reassured” the Government will fund the NHS to tackle backlogs.
Asked about the comments by Mrs Pinnington-Auld, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “The Government has recognised that the backlogs caused by the Covid pandemic are unacceptable.
“It is why we have invested such a huge amount of money to start bringing them down, with early signs of success by eliminating two-year waits and we’re now pushing on, focusing on 18-month waits.
“Whilst this happens, we know the public will be concerned.
“But they should be reassured that the Government will continue to give the NHS the funding it needs to deal with these Covid backlogs and put the NHS back on track.”
