MP addresses healthcare and disability support in North Devon

When Sir Ed Davey, Liberal Democrat Party leader, took up my invitation to visit North Devon, I knew he was up for some serious discussions about the government’s ‘review’ of our hospital funding.

The whole topic of health and social care is Ed's personal focus, and one never far from his thoughts.

I first took him to the Calvert Trust Exmoor, North Devon's famous outdoor adventure centre for people with disabilities.

We Lib Dems, as a party, have consistently advocated for better support for disabled individuals and their families, and pushed for more inclusive and fairer policies down the decades.

For Sir Ed, it held special significance because of his care-giving for his own son, John, who suffers with a neurological condition - something he spoke about movingly during our last party-political broadcast.

It was great to see the amazing work being done at Calvert, especially in light of the massive fundraising effort recently delivered by the local community.

I was also keen to introduce Ed to local Lib Dem party members and volunteers; the lifeblood of our party in North Devon and reflect on our best election result for over a century.

Ed listened intently to our local members as we all exchanged ideas for the future of North Devon and gained a deeper understanding of local needs.

The next day, the wonderful staff of North Devon District Hospital agreed to give us a tour of areas that need urgent attention. We saw first-hand the challenges posed by operating theatres and an intensive care unit that are over 50 years old, and at full capacity.

We were also able to show Ed the Fern Centre, the charity-funded cancer support building, for which I played a key part in the fundraising.

It was amazing to see the staff in action and working incredibly hard, despite the obstacles they face. We had a productive Q&A session with representatives from the hospital trust and Our Future Hospital leads, leaving twice as determined to fight for the essential infrastructure funding our hospital and its staff need.

After years of Tory false promises, we should not have to suffer yet another delay.
What struck me when I was showing Sir Ed around our area was the shock on his face at the challenges people here battle with every day, and my immense pride in their dedication to overcome them.

North Devon cares deeply about those most in need, and it is a privilege to be able to say so.