I am now back in Parliament after a busy week working in our constituency and meeting with local people and businesses. This is the best part about being an MP for me and I was pleased to get the chance to talk to many constituents while I was out and about in St Austell and Newquay.
One of the things I was offered the chance to do was visit the new Naturally Learning nursery at Nansledan in Newquay. I got to see the amazing new facility in the Duchy of Cornwall development and learnt more about the approach they take to early years from the team. I was very impressed with both the new building and the care and education provided. It's great to see this new nursery up and running.
Speaking of children, while I was in the constituency one of the things many constituents spoke to me about was the recent good news about the new Women and Children’s Hospital at the Treliske site.
This is something I have spent several years working hard to achieve along with my Cornish MP colleagues, the Department for Health and Social Care and the Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust. It is great to see these ambitious plans moving forward and delivering improvements to patient care.
I regularly meet with health and care services
colleagues, as I did last week, to discuss the delivery of NHS priorities for
Cornwall and so understand the importance of this much-needed state-of-the-art
facility which will bring all women and children’s services into one building.
It will include a consultant-led birthing suite, a
midwife-led birthing suite, a neonatal intensive care unit with transitional
care facilities, dedicated operating theatres, a paediatric assessment unit,
and cardiology, pharmacy and pathology relocation.
It is great to see the government bringing top-class
healthcare services to more people locally with this new Women and Children’s
Hospital, delivered as part of the government’s ambitious £20 billion New Hospital Programme which will see 40 new
hospitals built across the country by 2030.
The upgrading of the Women and Children's
Hospital is a very welcome investment in our hospital estate in Cornwall.
However, I am very much aware that more is needed. I continue to work with
government ministers and local NHS leaders to secure further funding in order
to improve and expand our hospitals in Cornwall.
This
is also just one of the measures I am pleased to see this government taking to
ensure people in Cornwall can access the best health services. Last month the
government also announced its new Primary Care Recovery Plan, which means patients in
St Austell and Newquay will be able to access care more quickly for their
health needs through their GP or pharmacy services.
This
comes following the government’s Urgent and Emergency Care plans earlier this
year and focuses on three main areas to make it easier for people to get the
help they need: tackling the 8am rush for GP appointments; funding pharmacists
to offer more treatment to free up GP appointments; and also providing more GP
staff.
I was also pleased to see the government introduce a new NHS service,
Pharmacy First, backed by £645 million over the next two years to enable
pharmacists to provide treatment for minor illnesses and supply
prescription-only medicines for common illnesses such as ear pain; severe sore
throat; skin infections and urinary infections. This will not only help to
alleviate some of the pressure our GPs face, but also provides a convenient
alternative route for patients.
As I have previously mentioned, this is something that has already been
trialled in Cornwall and last year pharmacies in the Duchy began offering
face-to-face assessments for a wide range of minor ailments, and NHS treatment
as required – the first service of its kind in England.
I am pleased that the government continues to listen to concerns raised
with me by constituents, however we must remember that the challenges facing
our NHS and primary care services are long-standing and will not be resolved
overnight. However, I do believe this government is going further than any
government ever has to ensure patients in Cornwall receive the care they
deserve and I will continue to work with the NHS and Ministers to make sure
this happens.
If I can be of assistance on this matter or any other, please get in
touch with my office on 01726 829329 or email office@stevedouble.org.uk
