THE government’s austerity policy does not work and more should be spent on the NHS was the main message in a cross-party Godalming debate on the future of the health service.

Health Secretary and South West Surrey MP Jeremy Hunt was unable to attend the event organised by South West Surrey Compass Group, which fielded former Lib Dem MP Andrew Gorge, Green Party health spokesman Larry Sanders, South West Surrey National Health Action Party parliamentary candidate Dr Louise Irvin and, representing Labour, retired GP Dr Rob Oulton and Mike Galsworthy, programme director of Scientists for EU.

Summing up the debate, Mr Sanders said that increased spending on the health service could be afforded, and that the government’s policy of austerity did not work.

Mr George described the limited injection of extra spending on the NHS in the Budget as “an attempt to detoxify the Conservatives”.

Dr Irvine contrasted the experience of Scotland where healthcare is delivered through NHS Scotland, with the complex and increasingly privatised provision of healthcare in England and Wales.

“Austerity has led to a worsening of the nation’s health,” she said, referring to the worsening of infant mortality rates across the country as a whole.

Former local GP Dr Oulton, spoke of his recent work in campaigning for the NHS, referring to inequalities in the provision of healthcare and the extent to which NHS services locally had been privatised.

He referenced his own experiences as a GP and the need for people to understand the alarming implications of current changes in the way the NHS is organised and the need to monitor the impact of government policy on the NHS locally.

Mr Galsworthy described as “Brexit fantasies”, the claims about extra resources for the NHS made by the Leave campaign in the referendum.

• To listen to an audio recording of the debate go to:vimeo.com/244265100.