Angela Rayner's battle bus visits Telford as she outlines Labour's plan to improve children's health

As PM Rishi Sunak unveiled the Conservative manifesto at Silverstone racetrack, in Northamptonshire during the afternoon, Labour's Angela Rayner visited Court Street Medical Practice in Madeley to launch her party's Child Health Action Plan.

The MP for Ashton-under-Lyne heard from senior partner Teresa McDonald and practice business partner Clive Elliott about the pressures experienced by GPs in primary care.

She said the Labour plan aims to cut waiting times for planned paediatric services by getting the NHS working round the clock, delivering 40,000 more appointments every week at evenings and weekends.

The party also wishes to tackle the crisis in children and young people’s mental health, with mental health professionals in every school to provide preventative support.

Labour also plan to improve children’s oral health by delivering 100,000 extra urgent dental appointments for children each year and supervised tooth brushing for 3-5 year olds in the areas that need it most as well as a ban on caffeinated energy drinks for children under 16.

Ms Rayner told the Shropshire Star: “One of the biggest scandals at the moment is that many of the children needing NHS treatment is because of tooth decay. That's why we are going to have 100,000 more appointments to keep the children on the right track.

“We need to have the eduction in schools so people are brushing their teeth properly and I think that would really help. And the ban on these energy drinks for children under 16 is crucial as well - they should not be having them but the government has failed to take action.”

The MP, who is also shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, said the government had also failed to keep up with infrastructure demands in growing towns such as Telford that has further impacted the NHS.

“I have just been hearing about the wonderful work the GPs at this practice are doing here," she said. "But the challenge we face now is because we don't have the primary care services any more that we see these pressures on the NHS.

“Telford is a new town that is expanding and the Government knowing full well that expansion is coming, has failed to put in place the infrastructure. It is very different to what I would do as Secretary of State - we will build new towns but they will have have infrastructure.”

She said Labour intended to end the "non dom tax loophole for the mega rich” that will pay for 40,000 new NHS appointments every week as well as a pledge to “get round the table and negotiate with junior doctors".

“It is not just about pay it is also about workload. I think we can get round the table and we can resolve this problem,” she said. "The Conervativs have not even got round the table to negotiate."

However, Ms Rayner, who was accompanied by Telford Labour candidate and current council leader, Shaun Davies, could not say if Labour would reverse the Conservative's plan to move A&E out of Telford.

The town's Princess Royal Hospital is due to lose its emergency department as part of a reorganisation of hospital services in Shropshire, leaving "enhanced urgent care" in its place.

Ms Rayner said: “The Tories have completely failed Telford. If Shaun is elected I am sure he is going to well and truly knocking on Wes' door.”

Mr Davies added: “Ultimately what they have done done in the darkness of the General Election being called is put the death knell on our A&E. If I am elected then I will try my best to bring back services to the PRH.”