I am so pleased to have been appointed as the Shadow Minister of State for the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).
Although I will miss my previous posts in the shadow departments for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and Health and Social Care (DHSC), I am looking forward to this exciting new role and have already gotten stuck in.
As a nation, we Brits love our culture and sport, and the Government must do what it can to make it accessible and open for everyone. As Shadow Minister, I will work hard to ensure the Government continues to make Britain the cultural and sporting capital of the world.
I have recently relaunched my A&E for Solihull campaign to secure Accident and Emergency (A&E) services for the Solihull borough. My petition for A&E for Solihull has received a strong local endorsement with over 1,500 signatures, and I have written to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to ask for his support in this endeavour. My letter explains the hardship faced by residents of the Solihull borough who must travel outside of the area to access these vital medical services.
This is exacerbated for individuals who do not drive or struggle to travel for long periods. With an ever-increasing population in Solihull, it is of the utmost importance that our community has convenient access to A&E services. I have also asked for the Secretary of State to launch a review in conjunction with NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board to assess how to best deliver A&E services to the Solihull Borough.
Championing healthcare within my constituency and the wider Solihull borough continues to be one of my top priorities. I am pleased with the continued investment in resources at Solihull Hospital. I have always been clear since being first elected that the hospital has great potential and needs investment. This is why I have welcomed the opening of the Urgent Treatment Centre alongside a Locality Hub providing early intervention and crisis response care and new state-of-the-art surgical suites, which have recently been opened.
These facilities will be added to by the opening of a Community Diagnostic Centre in Chelmsley Wood, helping to ease pressure on GP appointments by providing 116,000 tests, checks and scans. I was pleased to secure this and am keeping pressure up to get this opened.
The recent opening of the new state-of-the-art surgical units is an important addition to the range of healthcare facilities within the Solihull borough. This new surgical hub is really positive news for local patients, and I am committed to pushing for more resources for Solihull Hospital and have been for many years. I’m pleased that local residents will get new medical facilities that will revolutionise the way they are treated.
I am incredibly proud of the work that has been undertaken to improve healthcare within the Solihull borough and the positive impact it is having on residents, but it is clear that the next step is A&E services for Solihull. Our community needs to have easy access to this life-saving medical facility, and I will continue to make the case for it.
