In our constituency, as across the UK as a whole, we face pressure on the NHS from an ageing population, higher costs of drugs and an increase in the volume of patients whom our hospitals and GP surgeries have to cope with.
The Conservative government has invested record levels into the NHS. But, a sustainable approach must include delivering more local services in the community. The two local Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) for Elmbridge are helping to deliver that. I regularly meet with both to hear about their progress in supporting local GP practices and providing extra health services in the community to ease the pressure on our major hospitals.
In 2016, I coordinated a regional group of MPs that secured an extra £1million towards a new air ambulance, which is crucial to getting doctors to emergencies when time is of the essence, and getting patients in critical conditions to the specialist care that can save lives.
