Letter from Westminster: Future of RHCH is Danny Chambers's priority

My number one priority has been to fight for our local A&E and consultant-led maternity services. We know that under the previous Conservative government’s plan, services would move away from Winchester. Over and over on the doorstep people told me how concerned they were for an elderly relative who might have to make a long journey to A&E in rush hour traffic.

That’s why I’ve been raising these issues at every opportunity in Parliament. At Prime Minister’s Questions, I challenged Keir Starmer and the new Labour government to guarantee the future of our local health services. While he acknowledged the importance of the issue, we did not get the guarantee we really needed. So I promise to keep fighting for answers.

I've also been listening to health and social care workers across the constituency. I spent time visiting the almshouses at St John’s and The Hospital of St Cross. Speaking to the staff at Winchester Hospice who work so hard to support people, often in heartbreaking circumstances, was deeply moving and the staff there deserve our thanks for the outstanding job they do. 

I spent time visiting community pharmacies and will use my voice to fight for a fair deal from government and ensure pharmacists can stay open for the people of the villages and towns relying on them.There are too many people, particularly in rural areas, who have to travel for miles and miles to reach their nearest pharmacy and I'll be fighting for better access for those people. Everyone deserves access to the treatments they need, no matter where they live.

(Danny Chambers visiting RHCH)

Mental health is a deeply important issue to me and as a former trustee of a mental health charity, it was a great honour to be appointed as the Liberal Democrats’ spokesperson for this important issue.

I recently visited the mental health unit based at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital and spoke with both staff and patients. It’s clear to me that the expert preventative care and interventions they’re providing are saving the hospital so much money later on. 

In parliament, I’ve been discussing an innovative collaboration with Melbury Lodge (a dedicated mental health facility at RHCH) and Winchester Citizens Advice which dramatically improves recovery time for inpatients receiving treatment for mental health conditions.

The project provides one-to-one advice and support to inpatients on matters relating to living in the community, from relationship and financial advice to management of debt, benefits and housing issues. Their research has shown huge success, finding that for every £1 invested in the project, they can save the NHS £14.

At a time when the public finances are under pressure, successful projects like these should be rolled-out across the whole country. I’ve been championing this local project in parliament and asking the new Labour government to consider the great opportunity this could be if rolled out country-wide.

As we look ahead to the upcoming Autumn Budget, we must remember that critical investments in successful projects like this are going to save us so much more money in the future and I want the project in Winchester to be seen as a model for success right across the UK.

I'm pleased to announce my new team in Winchester is now fully up and running and they've already been making a huge difference listening to constituents and helping them with their concerns. If you have any problems or issues, please contact me on danny@dannychambers.org.uk. My team and I will do our best to help.