Jeremy Quin MP and I chaired another event for the Sussex Integrated Care Board to meet local residents, so they could hear directly from patients covering Crawley Down and East Grinstead, Burgess Hill surgeries under Modality following the grim CQC report. The surgeries have been put into special measures and there’s now a strict timeline of essential improvements that must be achieved within six months. I’ll continue to stand up for constituents on this and there are further meetings and updates shortly.
I’ve met in Westminster with Angie Doll, who will be taking over as CEO of Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) at the end of November, and Phil Hutchinson, GTR’s Strategic Manager to discuss services from East Grinstead station. This is a long running sore for local residents who have not seen anything like the return of services post COVID that they need into the capital. I have continued to lobby and engage with Transport Ministers on this matter. I hope to bring Phil and Angie down to East Grinstead to meet with me to hear directly from commuters soon. My ongoing push to get reliable services on this line continues so the stress and anger commuters currently experience can finally be a thing of the past.
Last Wednesday was World Menopause Day. Six months ago, in my role as a DWP Minister, I appointed Helen Tomlinson as our first Government Menopause Employment Champion. Helen and I have led business roundtables around the country, and to work with employers to guide them to have better support for women with debilitating menopause impact at work. More here: https://helptogrow.campaign.gov.uk/menopause-and-the-workplace/
Meanwhile it was an excellent morning at the Triangle, for the latest Prostate Cancer Support Organisation Charity Testing organised by the Burgess Hill Lions-with over 800 local men screened by a simple blood test for an early warning to get further checked out. Meanwhile, well done to all at the darts event at the Burgess Hill Constitution Club-raising over £200 for St Peter and St James Hospice with all-day oche action with three boards in play and a truly brilliant charity competition.