AWA Meet with Policy Connect about Health APPG
On 29 May 2024, the Accessible Waterways Association met with representatives of Policy Connect, a cross-party think tank which provides the secretariat for All-Party Parliamentary Group on Health (APHG), supporting the group’s activities.
All-Party Parliamentary groups are informal cross-party groups that bring together members of both Houses of Parliament who have shared interests in a particular subject, whether that be a place, a theme, or a policy idea.
The Accessible Waterways Association have previously connected with the Waterways APPG, and the aim in connecting with the Health APPG was to bring healthcare challenges felt by boat-dwellers to the attention of parliamentarians. One unexpected note is that between the planning of this meeting and it actually being held, an election was called in the UK. With the dissolution of parliament for this, there are therefore briefly no MPs, and all APPGs become inactive, starting up again on a new parliament with a new batch of MPs bringing in their own interests as points of focus.
Policy Connect suggested that boater health and disabled boat-dwellers would potentially be of interest to the APPG Health. However, with the expected influx of a large number of new parliamentarians, what the makeup of the APPG will be in the near future, and how connected (or otherwise) these members are to canal-life, is yet to be determined.
There are many issues affecting boaters, especially those without a home mooring. Accessing health care in the first place can be difficult, as can any ongoing treatment. This makes them feel discriminated against.
Once the APPG has been reconvened following the election on 4 July, the AWA will be getting back in touch with Policy Connect, and will see how we can link our interests to those of the incoming parliament.