HEALTH, social care and NHS were the major talking points at a Q&A session for prospective parliamentary candidates in Calne last night, two weeks out from the general election.

Over 30 questions were submitted ahead of the event, but only a small selection could be asked to the seven of the candidates for North Wiltshire at the Calne Methodist Church on Silver Street.

Despite questions on the UK’s nuclear weapons programme Trident and how candidates would improve the economy, help small businesses and protect the environment, the audience’s main concerns was clearly the NHS.

UKIP’s Pat Bryant, who spent 14 years as a nurse, said: “We have to take it away from these politicians playing tennis with it. UKIP will keep it free at the point of need but down the line this has got to come out of politicians’ hands.”

Labour’s Peter Baldrey also accepted that the NHS was a major concern for constituents and stated his party’s pledge to have 8,000 more GPs and 20,000 more nurses.

He said: “The NHS is in dire need of help. It must be free at the point of demand and when it comes to social care it’s about joining up health and social care because that would create efficiencies.”

James Gray, who has been an MP for the last 18 years, responded to Mr Baldrey by saying that the number of nurses and doctors had risen in England during the last parliament thanks to a strong economy.

“I think we should continue with the Conservative government the work we have done for the economy, we have cut the deficit in half, we have created 2.5million jobs, everything else, including the NHS, comes from getting the economy right.”

Liberal Democrat candidate Brian Mathew was keen to press home to audiences that his party had promised £8bn for the NHS which would be funded through a Lib Dem mansion tax.

He said: “We believe this way the broadest shoulders should help take the load.”

Both independent candidates at the meeting, Simon Killane and Giles Wareham, were both in full support of improving the NHS if they were to get elected.

Wareham said that although the NHS was not very well it should not be terminated while Mr Killane went further saying that North Wiltshire needed its own hospital.

Mr Killane said: “Don’t write anybody off, all of us provide an opportunity for every voter.

"We all offer a uniquely different policies and ideas. There’s greater opportunity to pick the best person for you for Wiltshire.”

Green candidate Phil Chamberlain, who said social justice would be at the heart of his party’s policy making, agreed saying: “If you want change, vote for it. Don’t hand it over to someone else and cross your fingers.”

In contrast Brian Mathew said: “Two weeks from today you will vote and if you want your decision to influence the future there are only two choices - myself or James Gray.”