Lib Dems: Time to end period poverty wherever it exists

Free sanitary products will be offered to girls in all primary schools in England from early 2020. This follows Chancellor Philip Hammond’s announcement last month of funding for free sanitary products in secondary schools and colleges.

Layla Moran, the Liberal Democrat Education Spokesperson, tabled an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons last month calling on the Government to extend its policy on free sanitary products to primary schools, colleges, universities and NHS GP surgeries.

Commenting on the announcement, Layla Moran said:

It is brilliant news that children in primary schools in England will now have access to sanitary products. From the age of 8, girls may start their period and this should not mean that they miss out on education at such a pivotal time.

Girls should not be penalised because of their period. The number of those who have been missing school each year because of their period is heart-breaking and unacceptable.

It is now time for the Conservatives to go further and eradicate period poverty wherever it exists. They must provide free sanitary products in places including universities, hostels, GP surgeries, women’s shelters, libraries, and leisure centres.

Lib Dems: NHS staffing shortages putting lives at risk

Following reports that one in four NHS wards routinely operate at unsafe staffing levels, Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson Judith Jolly said:

When there are not enough nurses, patient care suffers, and lives are put at risk.

The Tories, hopelessly distracted by Brexit, are sitting on their hands as staffing shortages worsen. Not to mention that since the referendum, the UK has also seen a dramatic fall in EU nurses with an overall decrease of 5000 European nurses since September 2016.

Liberal Democrats have long called for a national workforce strategy and significant investment into nurse education to ensure nursing figures rise and safe staffing levels are achieved. To fail to act is to put lives at risk.

Liberal Democrats demand better for nurses, demand better for patients, and demand better for the NHS.