Rachel Maclean (Redditch) (Con)

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Ever since I was elected last June, the Alex hospital has been—and will continue to be—my top priority. My constituents deserve first-class healthcare, and I am determined to make sure that their hospital is there for them when they need it most.

The people of Redditch are well aware of this hospital’s history, but I am focused on its future—a bright future, with new services being launched and much-needed investment going into our hospital. One service that demonstrates local health bosses’ long-term commitment to the Alex is the urgent care centre. This vital service will work alongside A&E, will treat adults and children with minor and moderate illnesses and injuries and will give parents much-needed peace of mind that their children can be treated at their local hospital.

However, local health bosses promised this service to my constituents before I was elected last June, and it still has not been delivered. That is why I launched my urgent care centre parliamentary petition to demonstrate strong local support for this new service. I want the urgent care centre operational as soon as possible. With more than 1,000 constituents signing my petition, the people of Redditch clearly want this service open now without further delay. I am hugely grateful to every single person who has signed my petition and it is an absolute honour to submit it on their behalf today.

The petition states:

The petition of residents of Redditch County,

Declares that as part of the consultation into Acute services in Worcestershire in 2017 which saw overnight paediatric care centralised at the Worcestershire Royal Hospital, the local Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) promised to bring forward plans for a GP-led urgent care centre in Redditch; further that was understood to be an essential part of the proposed model for Acute services which was brought before the West Midlands Clinical Senate and the boards of the three local CCGs; however there is still no timetable for delivery of the urgent care centre; further that once the children’s A&E was centralised to Worcester, residents were told there would be an urgent care service for under 16-year-old very sick children provided at the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch; and further that would give parents peace of mind that their loved ones would be assessed, in a place familiar to them, especially for those who have difficulty travelling to Worcester.

The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to press the local health authorities in Redditch and Worcester to publish their detailed plans for the implementation of the said urgent care centre.

And the petitioners remain, etc.

[P002150]