Moorlands MP, Karen Bradley has welcomed the news that the Conservative Government has delivered on its manifesto pledge to enshrine the historic £33.9 billion funding boost for the NHS into law.
The Funding Bill to enshrine in law an extra £33.9 billion every year by 2023-24 for the NHS to transform care will start its passage through Parliament today.
This is the first time any government has placed such a commitment to public services in legislation, ensuring world-class services for millions of patients.
The record funding boost will help to deliver on other manifesto commitments such as delivering 50,000 more nurses and 50 million more GP surgery appointments – in addition to the extra funding that has been committed to build 40 new hospitals and upgrade 20 more.
It will be one of the first pieces of domestic legislation to go through Parliament since this Government took office, placing the NHS top of the domestic agenda.
Commenting, Karen said:
“It is clear from the many letters and emails that I receive and from speaking to residents on the doorstep at my ‘Meet and Greets’ during the General Election, that the top priority for local people is our NHS.
“That is why we are introducing legislation to give our NHS a £33.9 billion a year cash injection by 2023-24, the biggest ever in its history. With this we will be able to deliver more doctors and nurses, as well as building more hospitals and ensure that people see results in frontline services.
“Please also be assured that Leek Moorlands Hospital continues to be high on my radar. We need to keep the Leek Moorlands Hospital in Leek and we need to make sure that the right, wide range of services are in place to meet the needs of local people.
“Unfortunately, the pre-election period impacted on a number of activities that were due to take place which included the Extra Ordinary Governing Body meeting to consider the Decision-Making Business Case on the future of Local Health Services in North Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent. This will now take place on 21st January.
“The people of the Moorlands deserve high quality modern health care and I will continue to be a loud, clear voice on your behalf to make sure that we have a hospital and hub with the very best healthcare, fit for the 21st century.”