News from Westminster: Tireless volunteers brighten up the town

I hope you are well and enjoying the sunny weather. 

Melksham’s town centre floral display is coming into its own in the sunshine, with the roundabout looking particularly beautiful. I would like to take this as an opportunity to thank the tireless work of volunteers, particularly Richard Collett, for making our town so bright and vibrant in these summer months.

I always try to be as accessible as possible, and I know that some people can find it difficult to come to see me in my office in Chippenham. This is why I regularly travel around the towns and villages in the constituency. My next residents’ surgery in Melksham will be taking place on Thursday 20th July. It will be held at the Melksham Community Campus from 5pm to 7pm, providing an opportunity for you to voice your concerns, seek advice, or simply have a friendly chat.

I was recently given the opportunity to speak on Melksham Town Council’s podcast, Celebrate Melksham, where I took the opportunity to discuss my work in campaigning for an improved Melksham hospital. I have been pushing for more equipment, more staff, and more services. Melksham has grown substantially in recent years, and I believe that the town’s hospital needs investment to provide the care that local people need. I am particularly passionate about this campaign, and you can hear more about it by searching for Celebrate Melksham on Spotify.

I have also helped secure an additional £2.1million of government funding from the Department for Transport to enhance local bus routes and services in Wiltshire. This funding will be allocated to Wiltshire Council to implement the Bus Service Improvement Plan, which aims to improve the quality of services and address key areas such as frequency, reliability, and the upgrade of real-time signage and bus stops. The investment comes alongside the extension of our £2 bus fare cap until October, ensuring affordable travel for local people.

In news from Westminster, there have been significant developments in improving cancer survival rates in our healthcare system. I am delighted to announce the launch of the National Targeted Lung Cancer Screening Programme. This initiative will provide individuals aged 55 to 74, who are at high risk of lung cancer, with access to life-saving screenings.

With approximately 35,000 lives lost to this devastating disease each year, early detection is paramount. By identifying around 9,000 more lung cancer cases annually at an early stage, we can unlock a range of treatment options and significantly increase survival rates. We are also implementing AI diagnostic tools to support the diagnosis of strokes, cancer, and heart conditions.

With the aim of cutting waiting lists and improving patient outcomes, NHS Trusts now have the opportunity to apply for funding from a £21 million fund dedicated to the purchase and deployment of these innovative AI tools. By the end of 2023, AI stroke diagnostic support tools will be accessible to 100% of stroke networks, facilitating faster treatment for patients and significantly reducing the time for some stroke patients to receive crucial care. Furthermore, the AI Diagnostic Fund will encompass AI tools for analysing chest X-rays, enabling early detection of lung cancer and potentially saving lives through timely intervention.

As ever, if you have something which you would like to speak to me about, or if you have a problem, I might be able to help with, I hold regular surgeries across the constituency. To book an appointment, or if I can help in any other way, you can send me an email, michelle. donelan.mp@parliament.uk, or give my office a call: 01249 704 465.