Stuart Anderson MP has responded to the government's ten-year health strategy. He has said that it overlooks the potential of community hospitals to "put care on people's doorsteps", as the Prime Minister had promised to do.
Stuart has also criticised the decision to delay the ambition to shift funding to primary and community care by 2029. This is now expected to take place by 2035.
Stuart has added that the plan neglects the needs of people in places like South Shropshire, with rural areas mentioned little more than a handful of times and minimal details of support for community hospitals.
The Prime Minister has said that there will be "neighbourhood health centres in every community." Under the plans, new health centres will house neighbourhood teams.
The Department for Health and Social Care has said these centres will "eventually" be open 12 hours a day and six days a week within local communities.
The network of neighbourhood health centres will be staffed by a range of healthcare professionals and support services like debt advice, employment support, smoking cessation, and weight management.
Officials have stated that this will "free up overstained hospitals from perpetual firefighting." However, they have admitted that it could take up to a decade to deliver the network of 200 neighbourhood health hubs.
Stuart has said that community hospitals like those in Bridgnorth and Ludlow require urgent support. He has consistently championed the need for more investment in these venues.
In January, Stuart met with the Ludlow Community Hospital League of Friends. They are working to see services enhanced and champion a new hospital build on the existing EcoPark
Last month in Parliament, Stuart called on Health Secretary Wes Streeting MP to support these facilities. He said: “community hospitals can reduce pressure on major hospitals, especially in rural communities such as mine.”
This followed a visit last year to Ludlow Community Hospital. In recent years, there has been a reduction in services at the site and the building has continued to show signs of significant deterioration.
Stuart hopes that community hospitals will benefit from a fair share of the £29 billion that has been designated for the NHS. He has said that this will be vital amid concerns over a lack of premises in which to house these hubs.
King's Fund Chief Executive Sarah Woolnough said: "You can't simply locate different health professionals in a building and expect a neighbourhood health service to flourish."
Stuart Anderson MP said:
"Enhancing public services in South Shropshire is a key priority of mine. So, I welcome the publication of the government's long-awaited health plan. However, I am concerned that the plan's key objective, to create a network of neighbourhood health hubs, will take up to ten years to deliver. There are also concerns over a lack of premises in which to house these hubs. The plan appears to overlook the potential of community hospitals like the ones in Ludlow and Bridgnorth to fill this gap. There is immediate action that can be taken to strengthen rural health care. I hope that rural areas like South Shropshire will receive a fair share of the £29 billion funding."
