This week I have been focusing on the NHS, an issue which I know many of my constituents care about a great deal.
Last week, I was delighted to be informed that our hospital here in Southend will be allocated an additional £41 million thanks to the budget. I have been lobbying the Department of Health extensively on this matter and I am very pleased that they have recognised how deserving the hospital here is of this funding.
On Tuesday, I concentrated on an issue which is of particular importance here in Southend; care and provision for stroke patients. We are lucky to have a hospital which is well rated and respected for its stroke unit. However, there is always more that can be done to help those who may suffer a stroke or else may have disabilities as a result of one.
This is why I met with the fantastic individuals at Stroke UK, a charity which helps those who have suffered from strokes as well as performing vital research into its underlying causes and prevention.
I was very interested to hear about what they do and their ideas for making sure stroke patients have the best possible medical outcomes.
We also discussed their thoughts on the re-figuration of stroke services which is being discussed at the moment in Southend, and they have agreed to come to Southend in the future to discuss changes in the stroke unit with the public.
On Tuesday evening, I joined forces with my fellow Southend MP, Sir David Amess. Sir David arranged a debate in the House of Commons on stroke services across the UK, and I was honoured that he invited me to participate in this debate.
I mentioned the meeting I'd had with the Stroke Association, and talked about re-organising acute and hyper-acute stroke units to give better outcomes, fewer deaths ad fewer disabilities.