Strengthening Health and Social Care Services

I continue to fight for a fair deal on health and social care, to ensure support is there when and where it’s needed.

After years of underfunding & short-term thinking, our health & social care system is struggling, with too many people being let down by a system that is creaking at the seams.

Many of my constituents have shared their stories with me, and I’ve taken their concerns straight to Parliament to demand action.

Hospital Funding

I joined local Lib Dem colleagues in campaigning to improve facilities at St. Georges and demanding urgent repairs to St Helier Hospital, along with action to reduce A&E waiting times in all our local hospitals.

In April, my party forced a vote in Parliament, demanding the government reverse delays to the New Hospitals Programme and create a crumbling hospitals task-force. We’re holding the Government’s feet to the fire to ensure patients in our constituencies can access the care they need in safe, modern facilities.

You can read more here.

Cancer Screening Services

I continue to fight for expanding access to cancer screening services locally, so more lives can be saved through earlier diagnosis. In April 2025, only 79.4% of cancer patients in Wimbledon were treated within 62 days compared to the operational standard of 85%.

I made a call in parliament for a national cancer strategy, and raised the necessity of improving breast screening uptake to increase early diagnosis and improve patient outcomes. I'm pleased to see this has now been adopted by the Government.

I’ve sounded the alarm in Parliament about low breast cancer screening rates in Merton and the need to reduce women’s health inequalities.

Mental Health Crisis

I demanded answers from the Government on how they plan to address long waits for Mental Health services and fix our broken system. My constituents are rightly concerned about the barriers to good mental health care.

Children & young people are facing an epidemic of mental health challenges and being failed by a system that’s chronically underfunded and stretched past breaking point. I’ve backed Merton Lib Dem Council motions asking Labour for better youth mental health support locally, including proposing a Youth Body Image Summit.

I also joined Lib Dem colleagues in writing to Health Secretary Wes Streeting, asking for a meeting to discuss urgent action. We want to see the Government going beyond crisis measures and investing in prevention, early intervention and lasting care.

Social Care

I've pushed for a fair deal for social care providers, to address unmet need and ensure timely access to social care. Every day over 13,000 hospital beds are blocked because there is so little social care provision for patients who no longer require treatment. We cannot fix the NHS until we solve the social care crisis and the constant delays in addressing this problem is inexcusable. The Government’s latest refusal to contemplate reform of our social care system, now until at least 2028, is a disaster for the sector - whilst their failure to exempt social care providers from the ‘jobs tax’ hike in Employers’ National Insurance contributions only makes matters worse.

I won and led a cross-party debate on the state of hospice and palliative care. I used this opportunity to raise awareness about key issues affecting the sector, including under-funding; regional, social and racial inequalities; inadequate training & provision; and the legal & practical uncertainties limiting adequate palliative care.

Eating Disorders

I continue to campaign to raise awareness of the crisis in eating disorders and to reduce waiting times for treatment.

As a member of the Eating Disorders All Party Parliamentary Group, I back their calls for a dedicated national strategy and stronger research to drive better outcomes.

In my weekly constituency surgeries, many local residents had raised the inadequate state of care for young people with eating disorders. During PMQs, I asked Keir Starmer how we can fund timely interventions and ensure young people get the help they need. He shared my concerns and promised to keep me updated on his strategy.

Pharmacy Funding

I’m fighting to protect local pharmacies, backing Kingston Lib Dems’ campaign to exempt them from Labour’s punishing National Insurance rise.

This hike will burden community pharmacies with extra costs, risking closures, staff cuts and limiting local services.

Sign the petition to support the campaign here.