I was very pleased to take part in the recent debate on Windrush Day 2021.
Thank you to @helenhayes_ for bringing today’s Parliamentary debate on Windrush Day. It was an honour to speak and to highlight the determination and dedication of @ppvernon who has done so much to raise the voices of the Windrush generation. pic.twitter.com/DbwPYeeAev
I used the debate to celebrate the Windrush generation and their descendants, but also to raise serious concerns about the operation of the Windrush compensation scheme.
The scheme has been far too slow to pay out and has left many families with even less confidence in the Home Office.
In the debate, I called on the Government to make the scheme fully independent in order to restore trust and confidence.
As part of my role in the Shadow Treasury Team, I have been pushing the Government to provide more support to people who need to self-isolate.
Labour has always said that health and economic measures must go hand-in-hand, but the Government’s failure has meant too many people have to choose between self-isolating and paying the bills.
At this weeks’ Treasury questions, I asked the Chancellor about reports that the Treasury had suppressed information about how the furlough scheme could be used to support self-isolating employees. This shocking revelation show’s how poor the Government’s approach to economic support during the pandemic has been.
I called on the Chancellor to appear before the joint parliamentary inquiry into the handling of the Covid crisis to explain why the Government has not listened to the experts and introduced a robust self-isolation support scheme.
The Government have been warned 12 times by independent experts & their advisory bodies that support for self-isolation must be improved.
Yet at the height of the second wave the Treasury supressed information about furlough for self-isolation.
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After a local GP raised concerns with me about delays in receiving vital test results, I asked the Health Secretary to look into the problem and resolve it as soon as possible.
I will continue to push the Government to improve on cancer care and diagnosis in our area.
Early diagnosis of cancer is critical for saving lives. I was very concerend to hear about local delays in recieving blood test results. I have now raised this directly with the Health Secretary. @CRUK_Policy@macmillancancerpic.twitter.com/JN7fJ3QdfJ
https://www.abenaoppongasare.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/nhs-e1615397117710.png288288abena oppongasarehttps://www.abenaoppongasare.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/SM-Logo-3.pngabena oppongasare2021-06-18 15:47:582023-03-01 21:16:27Raising Cancer Concerns in Parliament
This week I brought together a group of local disability advocacy and support groups to raise concerns about the operation of the benefits system on people with disabilities with Justin Tomlinson, the Minister for Disabled People, Work and Health.
Earlier this year I met with the Minister to raise concerns about how the pandemic had affected people with disabilities and the failure of the DWP to meet the needs of disabled people.
The Minister agreed to take part in a roundtable with local organisations working on the frontline with disabled people.
I have raised a number of these issues in Parliament during a recent debate on the impact of the pandemic on people with disabilities. In that debate I called for the Government to bring forward a national strategy for disabled people as soon as possible.
Key issues raised at the roundtable included a failure to provide accessible information to disabled people, the problems people with learning difficulties face accessing PIP, the impact of benefit assessments on claimants mental health, and the lack of appropriate training for assessors.
Participants also raised problems with disabled people accessing Universal Credit and the problems some people face due to the increasingly online-only system.
The roundtable discussion will feed into the Green Paper on health and disability which is due to be published shortly.
I urge local organisations and individuals to contribute to the consultation process once it is open.
I am determined that nobody is left behind in Erith and Thamesmead, and this means that disabled people need better treatment from the Government.
I hope the Government will listen to the concerns and bring forward concrete proposals to improve the benefits system for disabled people.
Kara Lee from Bexley Mencap said: “It was fantastic to be involved in such an important conversation to share the experiences and views of people with learning disabilities about the benefit system and how it could be improved. Thank you for organising the meeting to give small organisations, and more importantly the people they represent, a voice about such an important topic.”
Alan Kerr from Metro GAD said: “I really valued the opportunity to speak directly with the Minister of Disabled People to express our very real concerns about the benefits system and the impact it has on their lives.”
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On Friday 12 February, I hosted a special virtual event with Target Ovarian Cancer, the UK’s leading ovarian cancer charity, meeting with Erith and Thamesmead survivors of ovarian cancer to help raise awareness about the disease ahead of Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month in March.
At the event we heard from Sue and Della, two inspirational survivors of ovarian cancer who are both campaigning to raise awareness. Together, they are making sure that more women are being diagnosed early. You can read both their stories here: Sue’s story and Della’s story.
Sue, 62, who is an Erith and Thamesmead resident, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in March 2017. I had the pleasure of meeting her last year to hear her story and find out what more can be done to raise awareness. She said:
Very little is known about ovarian cancer even though over 7000 women are diagnosed in the UK each year. I want all women to be aware of the symptoms and don’t delay contacting their GP, especially in during the pandemic, as the sooner ovarian cancer is diagnosed the better the outlook. For Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month in March, I would like the women of Erith and Thamesmead to spread the word: make your mothers, aunts, sisters, cousins and friends aware of what to look out for.
Tragically, 11 women die every day from ovarian cancer. If diagnosed at the earliest stage, 9 in 10 women will survive ovarian cancer. But right now, two thirds of women are diagnosed late. More women’s lives could be saved if we are more aware of the symptoms of ovarian cancer.
The symptoms of ovarian cancer are:
Persistent bloating
Feeling full quickly and/or loss of appetite
Pelvic or abdominal pain
Urinary symptoms
Other symptoms can include unexpected weight loss, a change in bowel habits and extreme fatigue. Anyone experiencing these symptoms, which are not normal for them, should see their GP.
The pandemic has exacerbated existing health inequalities, especially for women. People are worried to see their GP and we’ve seen cancer referrals plummet. This is a life-threatening problem that needs action from everyone and I am glad that this event helped to demystify the disease. The sense of care and support for one another, even over zoom, was palpable.
Please call Target Ovarian Cancer on 0207 923 5470 if you have any questions or need support.
