Ensuring access to health services is one of my local priorities, and campaigning to have the Weybridge Health Centre rebuilt has been a key part of this. Residents have already waited too long since previous facilities burnt down in 2017, yet we have made real progress in the past two years, with designs being agreed, funding secured and plans due to be submitted for planning approval this summer.
However, during the recent election campaign I highlighted my real concern over the Labour Party’s new plans to re-assess all NHS capital projects already in motion. I have therefore written to the new Health Secretary requesting their and the Department of Health and Social Care’s ongoing support and urging them to commit to the funding previously agreed to enable the health centre to be rebuilt as soon as possible. You can see a copy of this letter below.
The Weybridge Health Centre project has already been reviewed and consulted on to within an inch of its life. At best yet another review would just cause further delay and uncertainty. At worst, should our Labour Government consider the health centre not to be a priority, they could remove the funding we have fought to secure and send the project back to the drawing board.
I sincerely hope the Government will recognise the huge amount of work that has already gone into this project, and honour the previous funding agreement so we can begin building work as soon as planning permission is secured.
