September means the start of the school year with mums and dads packing their children off to school to renew or make new friends. In Parliament we are back in session and getting on with the job we were elected to do. To prepare us for the coming months, the Prime Minister has set out his Autumn/Winter Plan for Covid-19, with his priority being to use our vaccines, and our successful vaccination programme as the first line of defence against the virus. Our vaccines have proven to be key to getting life back to normal; reducing the effect of the virus and saving lives. The Government’s next steps will be to maximise vaccine uptake by spending £23.3 million on 'Community Vaccine Champions', funding another £5.4 billion cash injection into the NHS to help the Covid-19 response, and increasing testing capacity to 700,000 PCR tests daily across the United Kingdom.
I voted this month in support of our NHS, to make sure our world-class healthcare system recovers from the unprecedented pressure of the pandemic. With a large majority of MPs, Parliament voted in favour of a social care levy, to fix this long-term long standing problem in social care. We all think about how our loved ones will be looked after and by investing in quality of care, carers themselves and integrating care networks it will ensure better care, with dignity and in the right setting. I will continue to support measures to protect our nurses, doctors, paramedics, and ambulance crews that have saved thousands of lives during the pandemic, and I will vote to ensure our public health services are safeguarded for generations to come. Of course, for the extra money we need to see improved services, especially GPs resuming their surgeries with patients, and we must make sure the extra money is spent sensibly.
In Tamworth, we all remember that awful night, now over two years ago, on which the George Bryan Centre burnt down – thankfully with no serious injuries. I have worked with local groups in Tamworth, like the brilliant League of Friends of Tamworth Hospitals, and I am pleased to share that the local NHS trust will now assess the situation in Tamworth individually and separately from other parts of Staffordshire to make sure we have the mental health services our town needs. Previously it was going to be considered along with other services in the county, but after our campaigning it will be a stand alone and dedicated process. Two engagement sessions on the 14th and 18th of October have been announced, and I encourage you to join me in making sure Tamworth has a strong mental healthcare network.
Finally, I know we have only just got Summer out of the way however with equinox now past us - it is time for me to announce my yearly Christmas Card Competition. Every year I ask schoolchildren from across our area to design a Christmas card that I will send out, and last year Autumn Whitely from Flax Hill School won the competition, with the Prime Minister himself receiving a card with her design on. Do not forget to ask your school how you can get involved, and I look forward to seeing some fantastic creations as always.
As always, my team and I are here to help and represent you, so do not hesitate to get in contact with us.
