IN HIS first contribution to Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs), Redditch MP Chris Bloore highlighted the urgent need to reinstate paediatric services at the Alexandra Hospital.
Sharing his personal experience as a parent, Mr Bloore described the challenges of accessing care when his son experienced breathing difficulties.
Paediatric services at the Alex were temporarily closed in 2016, leaving families without critical local healthcare support for their children.
During PMQs, Mr. Bloore asked Prime Minister Keir Starmer: “Parents should feel confident that when their child is sick, they can take them to their local hospital to be treated as soon as possible.
“But last year, when my son was having difficulty breathing, like many parents, I couldn’t take him to the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch, as paediatric services were temporarily closed in 2016 and have never been reinstated.
“As part of this government’s record investment into our NHS, would the Prime Minister agree to meet with me to explore ways to enable local integrated care boards to reinstate critical services for growing towns like Redditch?”
The PM acknowledged the importance of the campaign to ‘Restore the Alex’ and confirmed he would arrange a ministerial meeting to discuss potential solutions.
He also emphasised the Labour government’s £25billion investment into the NHS under its plan for change, which aims to reduce waiting times and provide healthcare services tailored to the needs of local communities.
Speaking after PMQs, Mr Bloore said: “Access to local healthcare is essential for families in Redditch and the surrounding villages.
“It is unacceptable that, nearly a decade later, our growing town is still without paediatric services.
“I welcome the Prime Minister’s commitment to a ministerial meeting and will continue to work hard to bring these critical services back to the Alexandra Hospital.”
The Alex, managed by Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, currently provides initial management for children with minor illnesses but lacks inpatient paediatric services for critical or life-threatening conditions, forcing families to seek care further afield.
