James has campaigned for major investment in the local NHS since 2015 and has worked closely with leading health practitioners throughout his time in office.
Over the past four years, Somerset's health service has been boosted by cancer care facilities and MRI scanners at hospitals serving the constituency. As well as this, £900 million has been allocated to rebuild both Musgrove Park and the Royal United Hospital in the next decade.Both hospitals provide second to none care but are in need of extra investment into the buildings so the staff can continue the highest level of care in buildings which are fit for purpose and match the standards of our doctors, nurses and hundreds of other healthcare professionals.
This fantastic news will help deliver the world class health service the people in this county deserve but James also realises there is more to do. He is now calling for better mental healthcare in the region. James wants to see the long overdue parity of esteem to be achieved between mental health and physical health. If you break a bone in your body, the treatment is clear and no questions are asked - this should be the same if there are health struggles in the mind.
James is passionate about mental health as a priority in Somerset, so that no-one feels alone or that they will not receive the support or treatment as they would physically. This includes working with the local NHS trusts and the CCG, as well as smaller charities in the constituency. James has met with a number of charities, including The Space in Cheddar, In Charley's Memory in Burnham-on-Sea and is a patron of Heads Up in Wells and wants to ensure all these important people are listened to. Working together to achieve the same goal of insuring we have a strong mental health system to support anyone who needs it in Somerset is a priority for James going forward.