Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt told Parliament this week that Pilgrim Hospital has ‘a bright future’ under NHS reform plans that will see a greater focus on rural and sparsely populated areas.
Answering a question from Boston and Skegness MP Matt Warman, the Secretary of State said “All NHS facilities in my hon. Friend’s constituency and across the country can be confident that the NHS has a bright future. In fact, if we are to deliver the NHS plan, more rural and remote places are precisely where we must pay most attention to keeping people healthy and well in their homes. That is why not only community hospitals, but GP surgeries and all the places upon which rural communities depend are a vital part of the NHS’s future.”
Speaking after the debate on NHS funding, Matt said “The forthcoming NHS Sustainability and Transformation Plan will see Lincolnshire services reformed to deliver better outcomes for patients, under plans made by doctors and NHS professionals. I am pleased Jeremy Hunt has confirmed that we can all be confident about the future of Boston Pilgrim and has agreed that the Government must pay more attention to the NHS in rural areas such as Lincolnshire. Jeremy has visited both Boston and Skegness, and seen for himself the challenges we face, and I hope that as the details of plans emerge, both patients and staff of all our NHS services will see there is every reason to be as confident as the Health Secretary.”
- Matt’s Question can be read in full here: https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2016-10-31/debates/ED226001-FBBB-4E28-9675-5ECF5840931E/NHSFunding#contribution-BEBEA251-4D21-4842-93AD-71A1658A19C2
- It can also be watched or listened to here: http://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/20a8bef5-ab08-455c-9183-7aecd54e1ea2?in=14:34:10