Column: Hero Health Workers, Anthony Nolan Award and Beer Tax – Updates from Alyn & Deeside MP Mark Tami

Alyn and Deeside MP Mark Tami is writing a regular column on Deeside.com with updates on his work in Westminster and closer to home.

Mark writes: In the cold winter election campaign one of the subjects that came up most on the doorstep was health.

It makes sense that at this time of year in particular we think about it more than usual- not least of all if we’ve got a hefty dose of the sniffles, which has affected me this week.

Winter is when health scares tend to dominate the news as well, be it winter crises or, this year, the coronavirus.

When things do go wrong, we rely on health and care workers to look after us.

Whilst we’re all full of praise for them, their jobs are not easy and in many cases the support they need is not there.

Whether it’s the homecare worker who doesn’t get paid when driving between patients, the junior doctor finishing a 12-hour shift or the nurse who has had to deal with umpteen traumatic situations this week but has no real mental health support to process it, the heroes who look after us at our low points need more than just fond words, they need parliament and the government to take action and make things better for them, so they can make us better.

That’s why I was proud to sponsor a Macmillan drop-in event for MPs of all parties in Westminster this week.

Together with a small number of colleagues and the cancer support charity we brought the message that things need to change to the people who can change it.

Legislation to support workers in healthcare is something that needs doing and which hopefully everyone can agree on and the event has been a highlight of the week.

On a related note, I was honoured to receive the Anthony Nolan Political Supporter of the Year Award for my work chairing the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Stem Cell Transplantation and campaigning for more research and support for people with blood cancer.

Anthony Nolan needs more people to sign up as stem cell donors and help to save lives- you can sign up here: https://www.anthonynolan.org/8-ways-you-could-save-life/donate-your-stem-cells

This week I’ve also written to Sajid Javid, the Conservative Chancellor of the Exchequer, asking him to support local pubs with beer duty rates which work for locals.

The pub is a British institution, but smaller pubs are still closing down every week. Beer duty for pubs is higher in the UK than in any other European country- it’s time for the Treasury to support pubs.

As we roll into February I will of course be carrying out constituency surgeries. In February the surgeries are:

7th Feb Buckley Town Council Offices (use side door) 3-4pm

7th Feb Penyffordd British Legion 4.30-5.30pm

15th Feb Shotton Rivertown Church Hall (back door) 9-30-10.30am

15th Feb Connah’s Quay Labour Club 11am-12pm

21st Feb Broughton Community Centre 3-4pm

21st Feb Hope Community Centre 4.30-5.30pm

Alternatively, you can get in touch with me on 01244 819854.