Rachel is continuing her campaign to secure the return of a maternity and children’s service to the Alexandra Hospital.
At Prime Minister’s Questions today (November 29th), Rachel asked the Prime Minister about her campaign in light of the recent multi-million-pound investments in Redditch’s hospital and the boost to the NHS workforce.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak praised Rachel and spoke of how she “campaigns passionately for the delivery of first class healthcare.”
It follows the announcement that the Government will be funding medical training places at the University of Worcester’s Three Counties Medical School in a boost to Rachel’s campaign to return services to the Alex.
Working alongside her fellow Worcestershire MPs, Rachel successfully lobbied Ministers about the need to train the next generation of NHS doctors in Worcestershire.
During her question to the Prime Minister, Rachel also highlighted the investment the Alex has seen in recent years. This includes the £18.8 million operating theatre complex, a £3.9 million expansion of endoscopy services, a brand-new Breast Imaging Unit, state-of-the-art robot-assisted surgery and the return of the Garden Suite.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:
“I know my Honourable Friend campaigns passionately for the delivery of first class healthcare for her constituents.
“Like her, I welcome the investment the Alexandra Hospital has had in recent years in a whole range of different services.
“She will know that the reconfiguration of services are of course clinically-led local decisions following the appropriate engagement with patients and stakeholders, but I know my Honourable Friend will continue to make her case on behalf of her community.”
Following PMQs, Rachel said:
“With multi-million-pound investments in the Alex and with the next generation of NHS doctors to be trained at the Three Counties Medical School, I believe a maternity and children’s service should be returned to our hospital.
“I’ve demonstrated I’m capable of doing so having secured the return of the Garden Suite Chemotherapy Unit to the Alex.
“My Long-Term Plan for the Delivery of Health and Social Care clearly sets out how we can ensure women can once again give birth at our hospital and how all children, no matter their illness or injury, can be treated there too.
“I will continue to make the case to local health bosses to return these services, and I’ll leave no stone unturned in doing so.”
