It’s been a busy month back in Westminster, where I’ve regularly been at the despatch box as shadow minister for Culture, Media and Sport. I’ve covered issues ranging from secondary ticketing through to protecting our heritage and world-leading creative industries sector.
But I want to focus on the debate I led in the House on A&E Services in Solihull.
Since I was elected in 2019, through Covid and now in 2025, I have campaigned for better healthcare in Meriden and Solihull East. That’s because I care deeply about our NHS, indeed I owe my own life to it. At the age of three, an NHS doctor saved my own life when my parents were told I had just hours to live.
Since 2019, I have led a number of campaigns to improve our local NHS and I feel we have a very positive story to tell.
There’s a new Urgent Treatment Centre that opened in 2023, easing pressures on local services and providing vital care for residents. Solihull also has new elective surgery units that have been built with start of the art robotics and I am delighted that just a few weeks ago they reached their 1,000th operation. In addition, Solihull Hospital also has a locality hub, which provides early intervention and urgent response care for patients in the borough. Finally, the Community Diagnostic Centre in Chelmsley Wood, helps reduce strain on the local NHS, which points to the new investment in the local area, making our NHS more resilient.
But Solihull is still lacking an A&E.
Silhillians will remember that Solihull Hospital used to have an A&E until 2013. However, the need for one in the community is now essential. From speaking to constituents at surgeries and out on the doorsteps, it’s unacceptable that people have to travel all the way to Heartlands Hospital in Bordesley Green. This journey can easily take upwards of an hour and that is just not good enough for my constituents.
Solihull has a population of 216,000, and that is only set to grow. With the Government’s own planning proposals set to build more houses locally, our local NHS is going to be under increasing strain. Critically, with over 40 per cent of the population already over the age of 50, we must recognise that an ageing population will further add to pressure on our health services.
The numbers also suggest we need more support from the Government. As of August 2024, 65.4 per cent of patients at Birmingham and Solihull ICB spent less than four hours in major A&E Departments which is markedly below the NHS’ target of 95 per cent. If we are to get back to the NHS’s own standards, it’s abundantly clear that the Government must do more to bolter our local NHS.
There is also clear local demand for a new A&E. Between Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst, Solihull West and Shirley MP, and I, we have over 3,000 signatories to our petition calling for an A&E. If the evidence suggests there is need for a new A&E and there is clear local demand, it is on the Government to deliver for people in the local area.
Before the debate, Dr Shastri-Hurst and I also wrote to the Government outlining the arguments for enhanced local healthcare provision. We were very disappointed that the Minister failed to back our campaign.
In their response, the Minister did confirm the Government has set aside over £3billion for the NHS to invest in new projects. I am urging the Minister to consider my case for the A&E at Solihull Hospital and use that money to transform healthcare in our local area.
I know that we won’t be able to secure a new A&E in Solihull overnight. However, do I hope the Minister is open to my idea and recognises my broader strategic thinking. Namely, that the inevitable increased strain and pressure locally exacerbates the need for a dedicated A&E in Solihull.
Summing up the Adjournment Debate, I said: “Politics is about choices. So I ask the Minister, will she do the right thing and choose to engage constructively so we can deliver the best outcomes for my constituents?”
My constituents and I now await the Minister’s choice.
