Our NHS have done an extraordinary job under immense pressure throughout the pandemic, treating Covid patients and delivering the vaccine and booster rollouts. Their tireless work has saved countless lives and all our NHS workers deserve every praise.
Last month I, alongside neighbouring Somerset MPs, hosted a meeting between the Prime Minister and local hospital leaders to discuss healthcare in the county. The Prime Minister listened attentively to the pressures facing local NHS services and to what needs to be done to deliver further improvements to healthcare in Somerset.
This includes investment in improving access to GP services, and I am pleased that the Government has announced a new £250 million winter access fund to improve availability of face-to-face GP appointments. I am well aware of the acute difficulties many of my constituents are currently facing in seeing their GP and appreciate how frustrating and distressing this can be.
I have been in constant contact with the Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group throughout the pandemic, and will be meeting with them again this Friday to report the experiences of my constituents who are struggling to access GP appointments. As we begin to learn how to live with Covid, I will continue to work alongside the CCG to lend my weight to resolving the issues my constituents are experiencing in accessing the healthcare they need.
