The Government is investing in healthcare here in Mid Worcestershire, taking the action needed to make the system faster, simpler and fairer for patients, supported by record funding for our health and social care system. The Herefordshire and Worcestershire Integrated Care Board has been allocated £1.5 billion for 2024/25.
In Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, which serves your community, there were 26 more full-time equivalent doctors and 53 more nurses in September 2023 than there were in September 2022. This is local delivery on the Government’s commitment to recruit 50,000 more nurses.
To try and end the 8am rush, the Government are also making it easier to get a GP appointment by investing in technology and recruiting more staff to look after patients. In the Herefordshire and Worcestershire integrated care system there were 42 more full-time equivalent GPs in December 2023 than in December 2019 and 649,650 more appointments in general practice in the 12 months to December 2023 than in the 12 months to December 2019
In my Mid Worcestershire constituency there were 68 more full-time-equivalent direct patient care staff working in general practice in September 2023 than there were in September 2019. This shows a commitment to getting more staff into the primary care workforce right across the country.
Each integrated care system receives a capital allocation for locally determined priority capital projects and the maintenance of their estate: the Herefordshire and Worcestershire ICB was allocated over £26 million in 2023/24. Capital investment is being made via a number of national programmes such as creating extra physical capacity to support elective recovery. This includes surgical hubs, additional beds, improved patient flow and separation of elective and emergency services. Moreover, the Government are improving patient safety and dignity by eradicating all remaining mental health dormitory provision in the NHS estate and replacing dormitories with single rooms.
Herefordshire and Worcestershire integrated care system has a targeted lung health check programme, in which current or former smokers aged 55 to under 75 years have their lung cancer risk assessed, and those at high risk referred for a CT scan. This programme will be rolled out nationally following a recommendation from the UK National Screening Committee.
This update on our local healthcare system shows the action being taken by the Government to support provision for those in Mid Worcestershire.
