GALLERY: Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn comes to Swindon to talk to health workers about NHS crisis

"It's not just a winter crisis any more, it's a 12 month long NHS crisis. A permanent state of crisis."

This is the description of the current state of the NHS given by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn as he chaired a round table discussion with Swindon health workers this morning (Thurs 10 Jan) at Park South Community Centre in Cranmore Avenue. The Labour leader took questions and listened to the concerns of the various people gathered at the event including representatives from frontline Great Western Hospital nursing staff, care staff, mental health professionals and auxiliary staff. The event was organised by Labour's newly voted in Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for South Swindon, Sarah Church. Concerns raised included the massive strains that the Great Western Hospital is facing in every department as it faces crippling bed and staffing shortages with people having to stand in corridors on drips and waiting times getting longer and longer. Jeremy Corbyn, who was born in Chippenham, said: "We believe that the NHS is not being properly funded or managed and the purpose of this visit is to talk to people on the ground as to what very real problems they are facing. "We would make the NHS a funding priority. We would take these huge PFI payouts back in-house. You wouldn't buy a house on a credit card so why would you buy a hospital in that way. The interest payments alone are astronomical and are putting an unsustainable strain on our hospitals budgets. By taking them over we would be able to have a measure of control and be able to funnel funding to where it is really needed. "One of our other proposals is to create a National Care Service. Up and down the country there is a massive disparity in levels of care and we would like this to be properly managed and governed so that there aren't these geographical differences. Care provision is essential to free up beds in hospitals. "It is the same idea that we have for the National Education Service. "The NHS is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year and we will be holding various events and rallies supporting this and doing all we can to uphold its principal of being free at the point of entry by holding The Government to account. "There are so many issues that need to be addressed and it is round table discussions like this that help us shape the way these are dealt with. One of the points raised in the discussion that is particularly worrying was mental health especially when it comes to young people. The biggest killer of young men nowadays is suicide and that needs to be addressed properly." Other issues raised included the lack of help for people wanting to get into nursing especially since the Nursing Bursary was cut. This was something Mr Corbyn said that a Labour Government would reintroduce to head off the skills shortage that the NHS is currently facing. He said: "Getting the right people into the profession is essential. We need to address the fact that hospitals are relying too much on agency staff and put in place proper pay structures so that nurses aren't being forced to go to food banks. "I have come to Swindon to show my support for the amazing work these frontline health professionals do in the area as well as show my support for Sarah Church who has just been announced as the PPC. "This is my third visit to the town in the last 12 months and I'm sure you'll be seeing me again very very soon as there's still so much to do." Sarah Church was announced as Labour’s candidate for the South Swindon constituency to stand at the next general election earlier this week. Sarah, a former Army Major, has been a very active campaigner in Swindon heading up the Save Swindon Libraries campaign. She stood for Labour in South Swindon at the 2017 general election, achieving a 9% swing to Labour and more than halving the Conservative majority making the seat a genuine marginal. She said: "I am honoured to have been selected again as the prospective parliament candidate and to have Jeremy visit only a few days later is fantastic. "This morning's round table discussion shows that Labour listens to people. The Conservatives have not listened to the experts: the doctors, headteachers and business leaders. Making policy in the face of overwhelming opposition from expert voices, and the public, is not the right way to govern."