On Tuesday 28th June, Anna Firth MP spoke in the House of Commons in the debate on the Delivery of Public Services.
Anna called for the Government to release £8.4 million of funding to support changes to the way the local hospital is run, which would ensure better provision for patients in Southend. This money was promised in 2017, and Anna has been fighting to see it released.
Whilst acknowledging the problems many people have been facing with GP appointments and Southend A&E, Anna commended the efforts the government is taking to ensure the NHS is running as effectively and successfully as possible. She spoke especially about her hospital and GP surgery’s in her constituency.
Anna said in the debate,
The government are “delivering a £36 billion package to reform the NHS and social care and on tackling issues that Labour members have ducked for years”
She further mentioned the improvements that are being made in Southend West,
“We will have an increase of 111 ambulance staff over the coming months and 11 new ambulances will be on our roads by the end of July. Patients are now being welcomed through the doors of a new two-storey outpatients building that is creating space for an extra 200 people every week. This state-of-the-art £1.2 million building includes 14 new consulting rooms, seven offices and a large waiting area. It is initiatives such as these that are leading the fightback against delays and waiting lists at the hospital, as opposed to just talking about them”.
Anna has been working tirelessly on this complex issue, and is continuing to work hard to ensure a permanent solution is found. She is glad to see that her work is already bringing positive results, but is striving to see even more. Anna is working hard to improve GPs communication with patients, using an online service which will reduce appointment times, and ultimately gets more patients seen.
