MP asks for Prime Minister's support in Biggleswade's struggle for improved healthcare

The struggle for improved health facilities and better primary care access in Biggleswade has been taken to the Prime Minster in Parliament by the town’s Conservative MP.

Both subjects were raised by North-East Bedfordshire MP Richard Fuller during Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons this week.

Mr Fuller told Rishi Sunak: “There’s been a 40 per cent increase in patients on roll with GPs in Biggleswade during the last 15 years.

“But last week proposals for a Biggleswade health hub weren’t progressed, despite financial support from Central Bedfordshire Council.

Mr Fuller asked the Prime Minister if he could advise him “what the status is for our manifesto commitment to infrastructure first”.

He also requested that Mr Sunak “work with himself and bring together the various parts of the NHS to bring the Biggleswade hub back on track”.

Mr Sunak replied: “I’d be very happy to arrange a meeting with him to discuss how to progress his project.

“He’s right about the importance of primary care. There’s more investment going in.

“But we want to make sure it works for his constituency and I look forward to arranging a meeting with him and the relevant minister.”

Medical provision in the town is in the spotlight after the BLMK integrated care board (ICB) called a meeting at short notice to announce a lack of funding for health and social care hubs in Central Bedfordshire would halt their future rollout.

The ICB has since performed something of a U-turn referring instead to insufficient primary care finance for these developments, but other ways of obtaining investment in health premises will be explored now.

An update on the latest situation was provided at a meeting of CBC’s Biggleswade joint committee.

Conservative Biggleswade South councillor Mark Foster, who chairs the committee, said: “CBC and Biggleswade Town Council support this model for future healthcare provision to meet the needs of current and future populations.

“Funds to build a hub in Biggleswade remain in CBC’s capital programme at present.”

CBC portfolio holder for health and wellbeing and Conservative Sandy councillor Tracey Stock said: “We’ve the money in our budget for the Biggleswade hub.

“So myself, CBC council leader and Conservative Arlesey councillor Richard Wenham, ICB chairman Dr Rima Makarem and ICB chief executive Felicity Cox will meet to discuss this further.

“It’s fair to say there’s been some backpeddling about what was said at the original meeting. We’re still committed for the Biggleswade hub and wish to pursue this.

“Without raising expectations we want to keep this on the table, but there needs to be conversations with the ICB before we can announce anything.”

The town’s deputy mayor Madeline Russell said: “We need to know as soon as possible what’s happening. Our MP raised the issue at PMQs.

“He’s been pushing hard for the health service in Biggleswade in particular and in north-east Bedfordshire in general because of the expansion and greater number of houses this area has had, far above the national average.”