Ruth welcomes 38,000 extra NHS appointments locally

Patients in West London are benefitting from access to quicker care with the new Government, with over 38,000 extra appointments delivered locally in just one year – part of over 5 million extra appointments delivered across England since the Government was elected in July 2024. The latest figures show an extra 38,000 extra appointments over the past year at the Chelsea and Westminster Trust, which covers Ruth’s constituency.

Ruth Cadbury MP, described the news as ‘‘a huge step in the right direction for patients locally’’ and said the new appointments signalled that the work the Government are doing to ‘‘get the NHS fighting fit.’’ 

Thanks to the Governments efforts across the country - including more community care than ever before, stronger working between GPs and clinicians and record funding into the NHS - the government is reversing more than a decade of decline and poor access to NHS treatments. The Government’s recent Ten-Year Health Plan promised a shift from hospital to community, with more care in local areas. For families, this means quicker and more convenient appointments, closer to home and more time focusing on treatment and recovery. The increased capacity across the country has also meant that despite ongoing pressures on the health service, local patients have continued to receive the urgent care they need.

The government inherited an NHS with some patients waiting as long as 18 months for treatment. It has set an ambition to cut the longest waiting times to 18 weeks by the end of the Parliament, as part of its Plan for Change.

Ruth Cadbury MP,  MP for Brentford and Isleworth said:

“Recently quite a few people I know have told me how quick a turnaround they had for their NHS appointment.  This comes after four local GP practices were given extra funding to invest in building work, along with a much needed pay rise for NHS nurses and doctors and I am glad that this is making a difference locally.  For too long, patients have had to deal with long waiting lists for care and we are now seeing the difference the Government are making in cracking on with delivering more appointments locally and across the country.

With over 38,0000 extra appointments locally this means more people can get the care they need. This a huge step in the right direction for patients locally.

I know that there’s so much more to do, but these figures show clearly that this Government is delivering for our community and getting the NHS fighting fit. Step by step, I hope that residents begin to see and feel the benefit.”

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:

“One year ago, I made a promise that we would deliver 2 million extra appointments in our first year – not only did we do this in just 5 months, but we have obliterated that target, carrying out over 5 million.

“That is testament to the relentless efforts of NHS staff across the country, alongside key reforms and the extra £26 billion we’re investing to get waiting times down for patients.

“Our 10 Year Health Plan will go even further for people in Brentford and Isleworth , driving care out of our busy hospitals and into local communities as we deliver the radical transformation required to fix our broken health service.”