Shropshire MP calls for Ludlow healthcare to be 'front and centre' of fresh plans for NHS
A Shropshire MP has called for local healthcare facilities to be "front and centre" of the Governments proposed plans for the NHS.
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Stuart Anderson, MP for South Shropshire, has written to the Health Secretary calling for a meeting to discuss healthcare facilities in Ludlow and surrounding areas following the launch of a major consultation on plans for the national service over the next decade.
Plans recently revealed by the Government include creating 'neighbourhood health centres' that consist of multi-disciplinary teams that are closer to people's homes.
Launching the consultation, Health Secretary Wes Streeting pledged to "rebuild the health service around what patients tell us they need".
Anderson has since written to champion investment into local facilities.
He said: "I am proud to represent South Shropshire. The health and wellbeing of my constituents is a top priority of mine.
"I want to do all that I can to secure better investment for local services that improves the quality of services in rural areas like mine to make them faster, simpler, and fairer to access and achieve better outcomes for our residents.
"I am clear about the importance of community healthcare facilities for rural communities and will push the government to recognise this as part of its plans to transform the NHS into a neighbourhood health service.
"That’s why I have invited Health Secretary Wes Streeting to meet with me in either Parliament or on the site in Ludlow to discuss the proposal in more detail."
After his visit to Ludlow Community Hospital this year, the Conservative MP claimed to have noticed a a reduction in services and that the building has "continued to show signs of significant deterioration".
The MP has also endorsed proposals for redevelopment at Ludlow Eco Park, as he believes this showed promising sings of a solution to improve health provision in the area.
He added that Eco Park, owned by Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust (ShropComm), is one mile away from the current building and has potential to become a local healthcare community hub for patients, who would no longer have to travel so far.
Earlier this year, the MP welcomed former Health Minister Andrew Stephenson to Shropshire to find out more about the plans with a visit to Ludlow Community Hospital.
