It has been great to see the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan launch the expansion of the Superloop bus service this month, providing more transport options to those who need it.
The new SL3 express bus route runs between Bromley and Thamesmead providing better links to Queen Mary’s Hospital in Sidcup and other locations in South East London and beyond. It will also provide better bus links for the people of Thamesmead travelling to and from Abbey Wood Station.
I was honoured to be invited to deliver a keynote speech at UNISON’s National Women’s Conference, where the pivotal theme centred on women’s health in the workplace.
Throughout the conference, we engaged in profound discussions surrounding the specific needs of women employees, particularly concerning conditions like endometriosis, menopause, and menstruation. It was evident that when these crucial aspects of women’s health are overlooked by employers, it significantly impacts workplace well-being.
One of the significant motions passed during the conference was aimed at enhancing maternity care for Black women, who unfortunately face heightened risks of miscarriage or maternal mortality. This issue underscores the urgent need for proactive measures to address healthcare disparities and ensure equitable access to quality care for all women.
During my address, I shed light on the systemic racism that women of colour encounter when seeking healthcare services. Additionally, I emphasised the imperative for employers to recognise and accommodate menopause as a crucial aspect of women’s health in the workplace.
Women’s health demands prioritisation at all levels of governance. Unfortunately, far too often, the needs of women have been side-lined. However, I firmly believe that it’s time for a transformative shift.
In my speech, I articulated Labour’s unwavering commitment to reinvigorating the NHS to make it truly inclusive and responsive to the diverse health needs of women. Our vision entails not only addressing existing inequities but also eradicating systemic racism within healthcare systems and instituting frameworks that prioritise women’s health needs.
Now more than ever, we must rally behind the fundamental principle of a NHS that is universally accessible and free at the point of use, ensuring that every individual, regardless of gender or background, receives the care they deserve.
You can read more about the conference and my speech here and read about an interview I did with UNISON here.
Let’s continue our collective efforts to champion women’s health and build a future where every woman can thrive.
It was a pleasure to be on the panel of The Late Debate with ITV News last week and discuss a number of important issues including the safety of public officials, tax incentives for London tourists and the upcoming Mayoral election.
In particular, I raised my concerns about the current climate of abuse against people in public life, with people of colour and women often being more at risk. In my role as Chair of Labour Women’s Network (LWN), I have worked hard to train women to build resilience towards the abuse they are subjected to.
People in public life should not be scared or intimidated while carrying out their responsibilities and I hope to see more progress in changing the current climate.
It was great to visit Cornerstone School in Belvedere this month to join a sports session supported by London Sport.
Cornerstone School provides a foundation of learning tailored to pupils aged 11 – 19 who have a primary diagnosis of autism, and Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs. London Sport is a charity focussed on tackling inequality and inactivity in London and is distributing £5.7m of funding to schools in London over a three-year period.
Thanks to this funding, Cornerstone School has been able to run projects for its students with new equipment and increased accessibility.
It was amazing to see the students showcasing their sports skills and competitiveness at the gym, table tennis and trampolining. I was particularly impressed with the leadership and dedication of the headteacher and her team. It was clear how passionate all the teachers were to make sure the students had a nurturing, friendly and supportive environment.
It was fantastic to visit the London South East London Colleges Bexley campus this month. I had an insightful discussion with the CEO and Student Union President, as well as a tour of the college’s impressive facilities.
It is so important that we hear directly from young people on their experiences with mental health, which is why I was very pleased to have been able to have a roundtable discussion with students from the College.
We know that our child and adolescent mental health services are in a severe state of crisis, with the number of children and young people undergoing treatment or waiting to start care having reached new records. That’s why Labour will recruit thousands more mental health staff to cut waiting lists and ensure more people can access treatment alongside creating an open-access mental health hub for children and young people in every community.
My visit only reaffirms my commitment to championing our colleges, empowering our teachers, and providing every student with the tools they need to succeed. I look forward to working with the College in future to support the talents and aspirations of the young people in Erith and Thamesmead.
Last month, I was pleased to visit the Oxleas Goldie Leigh site and officially open the new Woodland Walk. I was very impressed with this new development and excited to hear how it will support the wellbeing of staff, patients and visitors.
It was great to meet with those involved and hear about their vision for the future of Goldie Leigh. I was particularly impressed with the plans for the Health and Wellbeing Centre, which will be an excellent asset to the community.
Dear Friend,
Many thanks for taking the time to look at my latest newsletter for January 2024.
I hope you enjoy this update on some of the work I have been doing in Erith and Thamesmead and in Parliament over the last month.
As ever, if you want to get in touch, don’t hesitate to contact me using the email address: abena.oppongasare.mp@parliament.uk
Abena
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Happy New Year and Best Wishes for 2024
I hope that everyone in Erith & Thamesmead had a very merry and restful Christmas period and are having a good start to the New Year.
Last year was one of mixed emotions. While there were so many great things going on in our community, there has been far too much pain as a result of the continued cost of living crisis. I don’t need to tell you how difficult the last few years have been and how challenging the situation remains for families across the constituency and the country.
My team and I have been doing all we can to support constituents as they face serious challenges including housing insecurity, financial difficulties, immigration issues and much more. Over the course of the last year, I worked with constituents on almost 12,000 issues and while I know too many still struggle, I’m pleased to have had many successful outcomes supporting those in need.
As you may also be aware, later this year we are expecting a General Election. I look forward to campaigning on how a Labour Government would do things differently and move our country forward if we are privileged to win. In the meantime, I will continue to work hard for our community and hold the Government to account in Parliament.
Norwich Hospital and Mental Health Hub Visits
We know that so much more needs to be done to tackle NHS waiting times and to address the mental health crisis faced by our youth.
This month, I was pleased to join the Labour candidate for Norwich North, Alice Macdonald as we met the hard-working staff at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and also the fantastic team at the Risebrow Mental Health hub in Norwich City centre.
It was really important to hear all the pressing issues they are facing and I was also pleased to share Labour’s plans on how we would do things differently.
My Work in Parliament
This January, I have been active in Parliament raising many constituent’s concerns and challenging the Government in my role as Shadow Minister for Women’s Health and Mental Health.
I began the month by joining the Shadow Health team in highlighting the current crisis in NHS dentistry and the Government’s failure to take action. People across the country are finding it impossible to get an NHS dentist when they need one and the consequences for patients are appalling. Our analysis found that more than half of dental surgeries in England aren’t accepting any new patients – with 8 in 10 refusing to take on adults and 7 in 10 shutting their doors to new child patients. In the Opposition, we believe this is unacceptable and needs to change.
In Parliament, we put forward a new ‘Dentist Recovery Plan’ to provide 700,000 more urgent appointments and new dentists in areas with the greatest needs. Unfortunately, the Government didn’t back our plan and I believe are continuing to fail to take urgent action to address this crisis in dentistry.
I also spoke in a debate this month on Trends in Excess Deaths, where I shared my deepest sympathies with all the families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and why so much more needs to make our NHS fit for the future.
Then in Health and Social Questions, I shared the story of Sandy Simmons, who has waited nearly a year for surgery after a uterine prolapse. I challenged the Government to explain why so many patients are experiencing long delays to get the surgeries and treatment that they desperately need.
This month, I have also been supporting Labour’s plans to get zombie knives off the streets. After seeing the devastating impact knives have had in our constituency, I’m pleased to back these proposals and I’m also pleased to back my colleagues Helen Hayes MP’s bill to make this happen. These horrific weapons have no place on our streets. While I’m pleased the Government have committed to act, I continue to be concerned by the constant delays and urge them to take comprehensive action now.
I also supported Fleur Anderson MP’s bill aimed at creating a mould free Britain. Over 2.5 million people in the UK are renting cold, damp or mouldy homes. This is unacceptable and we need to ensure mould is addressed so children, families and everyone lives in an acceptable and safe environment.
Finally, it was also great to meet a number of constituents who came to Parliament to watch Prime Minister’s Questions this month. It was very nice to meet you all.
As ever, if you are interested in a Tour of Parliament and live in Erith and Thamesmead then I would be happy to arrange this for you. Please contact me at: abena.oppongasare.mp@parliament.uk.
Local team from YouthBuild Ventures UK visit to Parliament
It was wonderful to meet the local team from YouthBuild UK, who came for a tour of parliament finishing with a Question and Answer session!
I thoroughly enjoyed talking to these young people who asked brilliant questions about the role of an MP, the function of parliament, job prospects and Britain’s economy.
YouthBuild Ventures UK do great work in opening access and career opportunities with construction organisations for disadvantaged young people at risk from social exclusion. It was great to meet the group in parliament and I want to thank them for coming.
Roundtable on Mental Health app ‘Shout’ with Google and Mental Health Innovations
This month, I was also thrilled to host an important roundtable bringing together MPs, Google Experts and Leaders from Mental Health Innovations to discuss and explore how technology and artificial intelligence can support mental health services in the UK.
Mental Health Innovations is a charity pioneering technology to improve the mental health of the UK population. In 2019, they launched the Shout, a text message service providing free, 24/7 mental health support to anyone in the UK.
We were also joined by the parents of a 12-year-old who was a Shout beneficiary, and it was lovely to hear how the service supported their child in their time of need. More information can be found at: https://giveusashout.org/.
My Update on Casework for January
Thank you to everyone who contacted me in the last month and over the course of 2023 to raise the issues you have been facing.
My team and I have been doing all we can to support constituents as they face serious challenges. This month, I noticed a slight increase in immigration-related queries, many of which are a direct result of the significant delays in the Home Office’s processing of cases, including EUSS applications and administrative reviews.
In January, I have referred three constituents to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman who wanted to bring their complaints regarding the issues they had with Student Loan Company, DWP and CAFCASS. I’m also pleased to have arranged another regular surgery to speak to constituents about some more complex issues they are facing.
As always, if you have any concerns or issues that you like to raise with me, please contact my office using the following channels:
Furthermore:
Sign up to my Coffee Morning
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Sign up: https://www.abenaoppongasare.com/upcoming-events/coffeemorning/
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It was wonderful to meet the local team from YouthBuild UK, who came for a tour of parliament finishing with a Question and Answer session!
I thoroughly enjoyed talking to these young people who asked brilliant questions about the role of an MP, the function of parliament, job prospects and Britain’s economy.
YouthBuild Ventures UK do great work in opening access and career opportunities with construction organisations for disadvantaged young people at risk from social exclusion. It was great to meet the group in parliament and I want to thank them for coming.
This month, Abena hosted an important roundtable discussion in Parliament alongside Google and Mental Health Innovations, a charity supported by Google.
The aim was to explore the potential of AI in enhancing the efficiency of Mental Health Innovations’ (MHI) digital support service, Shout. The gathering brought together parliamentarians, Shout beneficiaries, senior representatives from MHI and Google, as well as Professor Peter Fonagy OBE, Head of the Division of Psychology and Language Sciences at UCL.
One of the key outcomes of the discussion was Google.org’s commitment to supporting MHI’s with funding to leverage AI in improving their flagship service- Shout. Shout is a text message service providing free, 24/7 mental health support to anyone in the UK.
During the roundtable, Parliamentarians received tailored reports for their respective regions, shedding light on the utilization of the Shout support service and the prevalent mental health issues in those areas. The focus was on exploring how digital services can augment mental health support and better cater to vulnerable groups across the UK.
Abena was joined by other Parliamentarians including Tracey Crouch MP, Liz Twist MP, Jeff Smith MP, and Andy Slaughter MP, who contributed valuable insights from their experiences supporting constituents through mental health challenges, while understanding the ways in which young people seek support through AI Tech enabled platforms such as text services and AI chatbots.
One of the most poignant moments of the discussion was hearing the parents of a 12-year-old girl who benefited from the service and from Emily, a dedicated volunteer at Shout. Their testimonials highlighted the profound impact of tech-based mental health services, such as text support and AI chatbots, in reaching and aiding vulnerable individuals.
Google’s Vice President of Product Management also spoke about how Google Search directs vulnerable individuals towards the help they need, and Professor Fonagy spoke on the transformative potential of machine learning and AI in crisis intervention.
This roundtable highlighted the collaborative efforts between policymakers, tech giants, and mental health experts in harnessing technology to address mental health challenges.
Abena Oppong-Asare, Shadow Minister for Women’s Health and Mental Health said:
“It was a pleasure to join Google and Mental Health Innovations today in parliament to discuss the important subject of mental health. The services provided by the charity are vital for those suffering with their mental health and I’m pleased Google.org is providing the financial resources to help develop the use of AI to optimise and improve the efficiency of their flagship service Shout.”
Great to visit Alexander McLeod Primary to hear from students about their Black History Month project on the Windrush scandal.
I was so impressed with the student’s knowledge of the Windrush generation and their ability to communicate this important story that impacted so many people’s lives.
I was also interested to hear about the student’s investigation into the different demographics of people who live in Abbey Wood and how this has changed over the years.
Engaging with young students and seeing them so interested in politics is inspiring and truly one of the best parts of being an MP. The enthusiasm and dedication of all the teachers and support staff at the school was evident to see.
