Bridgwater MP Sir Ashley Fox has called on the Government to address serious gaps in NHS access and productivity in the South West, raising concerns in a Westminster Hall debate.
Speaking in Parliament, Ashley Fox praised the dedication of NHS staff serving residents at Bridgwater Community Hospital, Burnham-on-Sea War Memorial Hospital, and GP practices across the constituency. But he warned that rising spending alone was not solving key problems facing patients in Somerset and the wider region.
Ashley Fox said, “The NHS is a vital service. I pay tribute to the doctors, nurses and many other health professionals who look after my constituents. But increased spending alone will not fix the problems in our region. NHS productivity fell during the pandemic and still hasn’t fully recovered. We need improvements in both productivity and service quality.”
Ashley Fox raised ongoing difficulties his constituents face in accessing GP appointments and NHS dentists and pressed the Government to set out a plan for improvement. After the debate he said, “My constituents find it difficult, if not impossible, to get an NHS dentist. The same is true for timely GP appointments. I asked the Minister what steps she will take to fix this and how abolishing NHS England will actually deliver better care, not just another reshuffle.”
He also criticised the approach to junior doctor pay, warning that unconditioned wage increases must be matched by service improvements for patients saying, “Junior doctors received a large pay rise last year with no strings attached. Less than a year later, they are asking for more and threatening to strike. I want to see NHS staff paid more, but it must come with improved productivity and service for our constituents.”
He added, “Reform must reduce bureaucracy, not just rename it. If this results in the same people being shuffled around with different job titles, few savings will be made and no improvements will be seen by patients.”
The debate came ahead of the Government’s planned changes to NHS England and proposals for further restructuring of Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) across the South West.
