My Commitment:

We should all be able to rely on good local health services close to home to keep our communities healthy.

I will work to establish a new GP surgery in Melton and to improve GP provision across Rutland, and to secure a CCG commitment to invest in Rutland Memorial not to shut it down.

When we need more complex care, we deserve expert support, so maintaining and improving our hospital and social care services is a priority. The recently announced investment in major nearby hospitals is fantastic news for us here in Rutland and Melton however it was not clear enough on how exactly Melton Mowbray Hospital will benefit and Rutland was nearly absent from the CCG’s recent consultation. I also want to invest in our local mental health provision and initiatives to tackle rural isolation.

UPDATE March 2021: Sites for new GP Practice in Melton Under Consideration

It is still early days, but I am working closely with Melton Borough Council and our CCG partners to explore the potential site options to align primary health and leisure facilities into a single locality. This is an important step forward, demonstrating a shared commitment locally to deliver a second site for Melton.

Read more here: https://www.meltontimes.co.uk/health/second-melton-gp-surgery-could-be-part-of-new-health-and-leisure-park-3150993 

NEWS November 2020: PROMISE DELIVERED - Rutland Memorial Saved!

I am delighted to have secured Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Clinical Commissioning Group’s commitment to protecting Rutland Memorial Hospital. 

Since my election, I have been calling for a sustainable and long-term plan for healthcare across Rutland from expanded GP provision up to a sustainable long term investment plan for Rutland Memorial Hospital. I have now received written confirmation that the CCG has no plans to close Rutland Memorial and instead has plans to refurbish or develop new facilities and deliver as much care as possible locally. 

Whilst much work will be needed to develop and refurbish the hospital, and there may be changes to services, this is an extremely important step to securing the sustainable healthcare Rutlanders deserve and to ending the worries locally that we would be stripped of Rutland memorial.

The CCG’s Chief Executive Andy Williams confirmed as follows:

 ‘With regard to the future of community services in Rutland, we had hoped to engage with Rutlanders – as well as other communities – during the earlier part of the year to together develop local plans for what local health and care services should look like in their area. This plan would include discussions relating to GP provision and the usage of local infrastructure, such as the community hospital, to deliver a greater range of services locally. This is a central tenet of our overall clinical strategy, which is to deliver as much care as we can as close to where patients live as is practically possible. This hasn’t been possible in the way we had hoped because of Coronavirus. However, we are committed to picking up these conversations in earnest in the coming months. In the meantime, and to reassure you, I want to be clear that the CCG does not have any plans to close Rutland Memorial Hospital. Rather, our expectation is that discussions will focus on working with the local community to identify services that can and should be delivered locally through the refurbishment of the hospital or the development of new facilities, potentially in partnership with other local public sector bodies, should that be deemed to be preferable or more viable.’

I've previously secured the Prime Minister's support for my campaign to expand GP service provision in Rutland.

UPDATE February 2020: Prime Minister Backs Campaign for New GP Practice in Melton

I am pleased to have received the Prime Minister’s support for two new GP practices for residents. Following my commitment to establish a new GP surgery in Melton Mowbray and to improve services across Rutland, I gained the Prime Minister’s assurance of support for this development. I continue my work with local stakeholders to deliver on these commitments.