CAROLINE ANSELL MP: Pleased to see innovative new medical centre

This new facility was a key campaign push when the Clinical Commissioning Group said it wanted to close the Station Medical Centre. I was concerned where those patients would go, particularly the most vulnerable and about future demand linked to new development in the town centre. This new facility will be very busy.

In its design it is striking new, gleaming white and minimalist. It’s certainly innovative with its accent on digital and a very holistic approach to treatments to include classes and drawing on a very wide range of input from GPs, nurses, mental health, nutrition and physios. I was very pleased to hear the most vulnerable get highly tailored support including routine, proactive calls. Face-to-face consultations are part of this new set up and must always have their place.

I wish the team there all the very best as they seek to serve the town centre community. There will inevitably be challenges to overcome and valuable lessons to learn, as ever with new ventures, but we need to transform health care delivery to marry up to new demands.

After the PM’s reshuffle, Primary Care has a new minister in my parliamentary-next-door-neighbour, Maria Caulfield MP for Lewes and I have invited her to come and see the new practice, held to be a first of its kind in the country.

I also visited East Sussex College this last week to meet with the principal Rebecca Conroy and assistant principal Joanne Folwell.

It was great to see students returned, the campus buzzing and to discuss the Government’s new Skills Bill. We need to be training our young for the jobs that will matter in the years to come and the emphasis on higher technical skills is vital.

There are a great many positive developments coming down the line but I also took on board concerns about the need for longer funding periods to help with planning courses and I will pass these on to ministers.

Sunday saw me at St Saviour’s Church in South Street for the Royal Air Force Association’s (RAFA) annual Battle of Britain Memorial Day Service.

This triumph over Nazi Germany 81 years ago in the skies above southern England is now passing from living memory but I had a chance to speak to cadets about the day and what it means when I spoke to them after the service. It is always inspiring to see the next generation take up the baton.

And for every generation in our town, I’m batting for Eastbourne - for levelling up investment and in the Chancellor’s forthcoming Spending Review, due late October.

This winter ahead is not going to be without its challenges as we strive to rebuild after the worst of the pandemic but there’s a great future to reach out for.

Take good care and keep in touch.