South East Cambridgeshire MP Lucy Frazer writes for the Ely Standard.

Since I was first elected in 2015, I have advocated for better healthcare provision for my constituents in South East Cambridgeshire. Our county has one of the fastest growing populations in the United Kingdom, and I think it is vital that this fact is reflected in the quality of our services.

In recent months, my activity has involved protecting existing services like Priors Field Surgery in Sutton, Ely, which was in danger of closing at the end of March. Not only would this have left 6,000 local residents without a surgery, but it risked overloading other surgeries.

I am working to ensure that Cambridgeshire not only upholds but expands its healthcare capacity and receives the additional investment it needs from the Government.

On May 25, the Government announced its plan to strengthen the UK’s health services through the £20 billion New Hospital Programme, and I am delighted that multiple announcements benefit our area.  

The Secretary of State confirmed that Cambridge Cancer Hospital will go ahead, in line with Cambridge University Hospitals’ plans.

It is thought that preliminary construction will start soon at the Cambridge Biomedical Campus. Work should then be completed sometime between the end of 2026 and early 2027.

The green light for Cambridge Cancer Hospital coincides with a commitment from the Secretary of State to rebuilding two hospitals with ageing infrastructure in the East of England.

The first is Hinchingbrooke Hospital in Huntingdon, which has been identified as one of five major hospitals in need of priority attention.

The second is West Suffolk Hospital, in Bury St Edmunds, which I know serves many people residing in the east of my constituency.

These announcements also follow a multi-million pound Government investment earlier this year in a new Community Diagnostic Centre at the Princess of Wales Hospital in Ely.

Once complete, the centre will offer medical checks, scans and tests, and other diagnostic services, which will cut waiting times at a crucial time for patients.