MP committed to extending treatments at Melton Hospital

Alicia Kearns is keen to extend the opening hours of the Thorpe Road facility, which opened 16 years ago at a cost of £9million.

The hospital has an adult in-patient ward which provides sub-acute treatment, complex rehabilitation and end of life care and it also acts as an urgent care centre for minor injuries and illnesses.

Following her visit, Mrs Kearns told the Melton Times: “My view in general is that people should be able to go to Melton for ongoing and regular appointments, particularly for long-term conditions, and management of low-level interventions.

“I do also have specific aspirations around extending the hours of the urgent care centre quite significantly.

“It was deeply disappointing to see such an empty, but clearly very well equipped, facility.

“So I will be working on what might be possible.”

The MP was keen to praise the work of the staff at Melton Hospital: “The ward is still very busy and extremely effective and caring.

“It was wonderful to see such a fantastic ward and wonderful team working so hard to care for patients.”

She added: “I don’t have specific plans as yet for what services should be provided, as I’d like to work in partnership with the local organisations to scope

out what could be possible and what priority health needs we have locally so that the need and the offer are matched.”

On local dental services, Mrs Kearns remains concerned that no practices in Melton and Rutland are currently taking on new NHS patients, mirroring new

BBC research which revealed a similar trend across the UK.

She commented: “The issue is that we have the dentists, but they are refusing to accept NHS patients,

“I am still working to resolve this, by lobbying government for a national solution, and locally doing what I can.

“But dentists are private so it is difficult for me to influence them. I believe we can get to a solution, but sadly not yet.”