'The plan overlooks the potential of community hospitals' - Shropshire MP shares concern over 10-year health plan
Concerns of a lack of premises to house new neighbourhood health centres have been raised by a Shropshire MP.
South Shropshire MP Stuart Anderson has criticised the Government's new 10-year health strategy, saying it "overlooks the potential" of community hospitals to deliver care for communities.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has unveiled the Government's plan to deliver a "brand new era" for the NHS in which it said millions of patients will be treated and cared for closer to their homes by new teams of health professionals.
The Government said the launch of a neighbourhood health service will see pioneering teams - some based under one roof - set up in local communities across the country, to "dramatically improve" access to the NHS.
It is part of aims to shift care out of hospitals and into the community in a bid to free up "overstrained hospitals" so they can focus on delivering the "best, most cutting-edge and personalised" care.
But Mr Anderson claimed that the plan neglects the needs of people in rural areas such as his constituency, saying there are minimal details regarding support for community hospitals.
The Conservative MP said community hospitals such as those in Bridgnorth and Ludlow require "urgent support". He stated that there has been a reduction in services at Ludlow Community Hospital in recent years with its building "showing signs of significant deterioration".
Mr Anderson said: "I welcome the publication of the Government's long-awaited health plan. However, I am concerned that the plan's key objective, to create a network of neighbourhood health hubs, will take up to 10 years to deliver.
"There are also concerns over a lack of premises in which to house these hubs. The plan appears to overlook the potential of community hospitals like the ones in Ludlow and Bridgnorth to fill this gap.
"There is immediate action that can be taken to strengthen rural health care. I hope that rural areas like South Shropshire will receive a fair share of the £29 billion funding."
