Bob Seely MP said: “I visited St Mary’s Hospital this morning to meet with Emergency Department (ED) staff. I would like to thank them - and everyone at St Mary’s - for the wonderful work they do. Almost all the feedback I receive from Islanders is very positive, and often mentions their kind and thoughtful staff.
“Pressures on the system means that ED can become overwhelmed, and surgeries can be cancelled. We discussed those pressures this morning. They happen both before and after patients enter the Health Service. Here are the plans to solve this:
“New contracts for GPs are being introduced to offer more out-of-hours and weekend appointments. The Government will also give more prescription powers to pharmacists, who are an important part of the primary care system.
“There are currently too many people waiting in hospital as the system between St Mary’s and adult social care is not fully integrated. The new Integrated Care Boards - ICBs - will help fix this, with the government contributing an additional £500 million worth of funding nationwide.
“At St Mary’s, new building works are expected to start next month and finish by March 2024. In addition, last week, the Government agreed a new £10 million Community Diagnostic Centre for the Island. Both of these projects will help the NHS offer Islanders a better and more efficient service.
“The Isle of Wight’s healthcare services will also share more staff with Portsmouth. The Department for Health and Social Care consider St Mary’s to be an Unavoidably Small Hospital. As healthcare becomes more specialised, we’ll work with others to ensure we keep as much high-quality treatment on the Island as possible.
“I am meeting the new integrated care board tomorrow to discuss coordinating healthcare on the Island. I will write to Government Minsters to pursue the expected £500 million in extra nationwide support, and to ask about funding for improved digital systems."
