WE started this year with a welcome piece of good news for our NHS here in Cornwall, with hospital waiting lists at Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust down by 2,101 since Labour entered government.

For many families, that will mean shorter waits, quicker diagnoses, and a little less worry. We have made good progress, but I am working to deliver more healthcare provision in our communities to help people access services closer to home.

I recently met with Callington Health Centre to discuss the government’s support for green energy and their plans for the future. It is fantastic that Callington Health Centre will receive over £21,000 through Great British Energy, meaning less money is spent on energy bills. This really matters because across the country we need to direct as many resources as possible to our NHS so they can focus on service delivery for local people. This means money going to where it can make the biggest difference.

Nationally, the Labour government has released its National Cancer Plan, which sets out that by 2029, the NHS will meet all three cancer waiting time standards meaning that hundreds of thousands more patients will be treated within 62 days, with each patient receiving a tailored support plan covering treatment, mental health, and employment. This is a personal one for me, and I know it will be for many of us across South East Cornwall. So, it is great to see more support for better healthcare in rural areas in particular, by prioritising training places in communities like ours.

I also understand that our NHS is facing significant challenges, with corridor care remaining a deeply troubling issue. I recently met with Age UK about the impact this is having on people in South East Cornwall and explored some options to improve care. Labour is putting record funding into our NHS, with more resources in place to reduce these issues. I will continue to work on the timely delivery of these improvements because no one should have to experience corridor care.

For many of us, accessing healthcare means crossing the Tamar into Plymouth. That’s why the Joint Committee’s revision to its proposal to increase the admin fee from 80p to £2 was such an important win for local people. This revision happened after strong public backlash, from residents and organisations such as the Tamar Tolls Action Group, and sustained pressure from myself and neighbouring Plymouth Labour MPs. It means the Committee will now fully assess the impact of any increase and carry out a fresh search for savings. I will continue to take action to ensure that local people are not discouraged from accessing essential services like healthcare across the Tamar.

So, good progress has been made to improve healthcare access, but I know that we need to go further and faster. I am determined to ensure that South East Cornwall gets its fair share of funding, and I will continue to speak up for our area at any opportunity available.