In my role Labour’s Health Minister, I recently visited Southmead Hospital to see some of the cutting-edge treatment being provided to patients in Bristol and the wider region. The state-of-the-art robotic surgery facilities mean surgeons can perform complex procedures with tiny incisions, delivering less invasive care for patients and meaning some are able to return home almost immediately after a significant surgery.
I also toured the construction site of the new Elective Care Centre being developed at the hospital, which is due to open in Spring 2025. This new facility will significantly increase the capacity to perform planned surgeries, helping to clear waiting lists and get patients from across Bristol seen faster.
The visit was part of the launch of the Labour Government’s national conversation about the future of the health service. We want people to share their experiences of the NHS and their views about how to improve it, which will inform our 10-Year Health Plan to turn the service around. A key part of this will be identifying the best of the NHS, such as the innovative work at Southmead, and taking this to the rest of the NHS.
This will be the biggest conversation about the NHS since it was founded in 1948. We know the health service is broken, but it is not beaten, and fixing it will require the help and expertise of the people who use the service and those who work in it every day. I joined Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Health Secretary Wes Streeting at the first engagement event, where we met with local ambulance staff and heard their views.
Through working with the public, patients, and staff, we will reform the NHS and make it fit for the future. Join the conversation at change.nhs.uk. I want to hear your views.