Doing all we can to have an excellent NHS

The other week started positively with a meeting with Secretary of State for Health Jeremy Hunt with the aim to get his backing for two proposals for Burnley General Hospital.
The proposed new £5m. surgical unit at Burnley General Hospital (s)The proposed new £5m. surgical unit at Burnley General Hospital (s)
The proposed new £5m. surgical unit at Burnley General Hospital (s)

Alongside my fellow Lancashire MPs Jake Berry and Andrew Stephenson, we had a positive meeting discussing the bids for a new £10m. advanced specialist eye clinic, and a £5m. surgical unit at Burnley General Hospital, to serve patients across East Lancashire. I have already spoken to Danny Alexander on capital funding.

I think it’s really important we do all we can do to ensure we have an excellent local NHS and new services coming to Burnley. I think it’s very achievable and will be doing all I can to try to secure these bids.

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On Tuesday it was Deputy Prime Minister’s Question Time and I asked a question that requested a meeting with Education Minister David Laws to help ensure Wellfield School gets the kitchen it needs to cook free school meals for its pupils.

I fully support the Government’s plans for free school meals which will be introduced in September and make a huge difference, but currently Wellfield does not have the facility to provide these meals. Despite the school having spoken to the county council and diocese, it is getting nowhere and I am pleased I have now arranged a meeting for a few weeks with the head and I’m meeting David Laws.

On Wednesday I went to a meeting to find out how Burnley has benefitted from Heritage Lottery funding and it is amazing the difference it is making in our town.

I was then delighted to host and speak at The Skills Show 2013, where City & Guilds were hosting a reception to celebrate the achievements of the show’s Gold medallists and draw attention to the value and importance of vocational education and careers.

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On Thursday I had my monthly meeting with Steve Rumbelow to discuss various council issues and on Friday met Hugh Bramwell who confirmed the college’s funding for a new extension which would provide space for all their building trade courses and enable the engineering facility that is essential for helping to provide the new generation of engineers and fix the current critical shortage.

Friday was busy with constituency appointments and Saturday’s advice stall was busy.