Parliament may be in summer recess as I’m writing this but, as a newly elected MP, my team and I are working hard to serve our community. Dedicated volunteers are assisting me in setting up a constituency office and recruiting staff. We have already responded to hundreds of emails, letters, and phone calls, addressing a wide range of concerns and queries from local residents.
Healthcare is my top priority for . It was the single biggest issue raised with me on the doorstep. Since the General Election, it has come to light that the funding the Conservatives promised for a new hospital for Hampshire never existed.
The Labour Chancellor revealed in July that, due to the blackhole in public finances, the Government would need to conduct a complete reset of the New Hospital Programme. As we await this review, I will be pushing for the best outcome for Winchester. In response to the Chancellor’s announcement, I asked my first question in the House of Commons about the importance of investing in GPs, dental care, mental health care and public health.
Medical professionals tell me the same thing time and time again: we must invest in primary care to keep people healthy in the community, rather than treating them in hospital when they get sick. Regarding Winchester’s A&E, I recently met with Hampshire’s hospital chiefs to discuss the urgent concerns raised by residents and local healthcare professionals regarding the proposed reduction of services at our hospital. I am ensurin.