Stuart Anderson MP has welcomed government support for his community health campaign, which aims to address rural disparities in access to local NHS services.
Shropshire has been named as one of the first places to benefit from a neighbourhood health service. The county is one of just 43 initial areas to benefit from the £10 million investment.
In August 2025, Stuart welcomed momentum for his campaign from Care Minister Stephen Kinnock MP who had stated that the area could become one of the new neighbourhood health centres.
Stuart has now welcomed the support from ‘Wave One’ of the programme, which is part of the government’s wider plan to shift from hospital to community.
Stuart launched his campaign in October 2024, when he called for community healthcare facilities to be put ‘front and centre’ of the government’s plans for the NHS.
This followed an earlier visit to Ludlow Community Hospital on Gravel Hill, which he said had shown signs of significant deterioration and was in urgent need of investment.
Stuart has now welcomed the support for Shropshire, which will be allocated a ‘programme lead’ who will work with existing local services to set up a neighbourhood health service.
They will draw together a range of professionals to develop a ‘neighbourhood health team’ that gives people easier access to support on their doorstep. This will include GPs, doctors, and nurses as well as local government and social care.
The government has stated that the 43 ‘wave-one’ sites have been selected as pioneer areas for neighbourhood health services. They will eventually include diagnostics, mental health, outpatients, post-op, rehab, nursing, and social care.
Stuart Anderson MP said: “As part of my plan to enhance public services in South Shropshire, I have consistently campaigned for more investment in rural health services. I am pleased that Shropshire has been named as one of the initial areas to benefit from support to create a neighbourhood health service. To be successful, this must bring together local services in a way which makes them easier and quicker to access – with community hospitals like Ludlow and Bridgnorth playing a key role in its delivery.”
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