AFTER years of turbulence, staffing strain and mounting waiting lists under the Tories, the NHS has turned a corner and is beginning to show genuine signs of renewal.

Central to this shift has been the tireless work of our NHS workers and the Department for Health and Social Care, as well as Health Secretary Wes Streeting’s focus on a clear, longer-term strategy for the NHS.

Instead of lurching from one crisis to another under the Tories, Streeting has clear ambitions for the NHS, embodied by the ten-year Health Plan for England: reducing delays, modernising patients’ access to care, empowering local healthcare providers rooted in communities, and preventing illness, instead of solely re-rating it.

Under the plan, there has been a significant expansion of Community Diagnostic Centres (CDCs) and surgical hubs, which has helped deliver more than 12-million tests, checks, and scans since Labour came to government. That means shortened diagnosis times, so that people can access the help they need faster, and has contributed towards reducing the national waiting list by more than 374,000 since July 2024.

These centres are deeply rooted in their communities, understand what local people need, and are already delivering earlier detection, faster referrals and care closer to home.

The government is also delivering more cancer specialists for rural and coastal communities, tackling unacceptably long waits for vital and lifesaving care.

Unfortunately, I have all too often heard from constituents who aren’t able to access this basic care, and we’re working hard to turn this around.

Critics of our NHS often claim it is not underfunded, but mismanaged; not only have we invested in record levels of NHS funding, this government is also driving efficiencies that free up doctors and nurses time – so they can spend more time helping patients instead of doing administrative work – and making it easier for people to secure appointments and navigate the NHS.

To reach the target of the NHS Operational Plan for 2025/26 - to cut elective care delays and ensure 65 per cent of patients are treated within 18 weeks – the NHS was made more digitally accessible, encouraging the use of the NHS app that can be a one-stop-shop for patients; making it easier to book appointments, track prescriptions and access your medical history.

At the same, investment in technology will free up clinicians’ time, improve communication, and make engaging with the NHS a more convenient experience, such as by reminding you of upcoming appointments. More than 85 per cent of NHS trusts are now connected to the NHS app.

In St Austell and Newquay, we’ve seen investments to improve the capacity of Newquay Health Centre and Brannel Surgery, and we received funding from the government’s £74-million clean energy upgrade, enabling St Austell Community Hospital and Par Health Centre to install clean power upgrades.

By cutting their energy bills, our NHS can spend more money on frontline services and treatingour communities.

The NHS is not yet “fixed” - far from it - but for the first time in years, it is unmistakably moving forward.