In his latest column, South West Norfolk MP Terry Jermy praises the hard work of staff at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital…
In every visit I make to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, I see how incredibly hard the healthcare professionals there are working to provide the best possible care in difficult circumstances.
For too long, under the Conservative Government, healthcare services in the region were shamefully underfunded, leaving hospitals like the QEH quite literally on the verge of collapse, failing not just patients, but staff too.
South West Norfolk MP Terry Jermy
It has been a very difficult few months for the QEH, but the commitment staff and volunteers have to their roles is clear, and it was an honour to join them recently for their Team QEH 2025 Awards.
The awards recognise the compassion, dedication, innovation and achievements of the hospital’s staff and volunteers.
There were 650 nominations across 13 categories, including Clinical Team of the Year and Exceptional Care, demonstrating amazing commitment from so many individuals, and their endless dedication to the hospital and patient care.
South West Norfolk MP Terry Jermy speaks with QEH staff at the hospital’s recent awards
I returned to the QEH again last week to mark the official re-opening of the Macmillan Cancer Care and Treatment Centre, following a £255,000 refurbishment.
Each year, the centre looks after more than 12,000 patients from across West Norfolk, many of whom receive chemotherapy and other treatments on-site.
The refurbishment was funded entirely through donations, led by the inspiring Gavin English, a super-fundraiser who single-handedly raised £116,000 for the centre.
While at the re-opening, I met with Gavin’s children, Belinda and Ray. It was great speaking with them and learning more about their father’s fundraising work – and very moving to see them unveil a plaque commemorating the refurbishment and Gavin’s extraordinary achievement.
The re-opening is a testament to Gavin and other fundraisers, partner charities, the QEHKL charity, and the wider hospital team who have worked incredibly hard to build a modern centre filled with natural light, focused on dignity, compassion and comfort.
Following my previous column, where I wrote about World Menopause Day and the urgent need for more attention to be given to women’s health, I was pleased with the announcement from the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting MP, that menopause will now be included in the NHS 40+ Health Check.
For too long, women’s menopause experiences have been minimised and overlooked. The addition of dedicated questions heralds a major shift in women’s healthcare, bringing menopause into the mainstream of healthcare conversations and overhauling an outdated system.
Also on the health front, I was pleased this week to speak in Westminster in a debate to mark World Stroke Day. I highlighted to the Health Minister Zubir Ahmed MP the various health challenges with have in West Norfolk, calling for improvements and increased funding.