3 March 2023
Norfolk and Waveney MIND

Mental health provision has long been an issue very close to my heart. I have seen first-hand how mental health issues affect friends and family members and can destroy lives.

My own father sadly suffered a complete and tragic life collapse as a result of a toxic mix of head injuries, a career dependency on gambling and untreated mental illness including depression and alcoholism. Just ten years after winning the 1958 Grand National as the Queen Mother’s jockey, these issues meant he lost his marriage, livelihood and access to his children.

I also saw the devastation that mental health can inflict upon the families of my friends – including the suicide of a late friend’s son after years of battling bipolar disorder.

That’s why I always go out of my way to shine a light on this crucial issue, and why I welcomed the opportunity to visit Norfolk and Waveney MIND’s REST hub in Norwich this past Friday.

While visiting Dereham Town Football Club back in the autumn, then club chairman Ashley Bunn made me aware of his role as Director of Strategy and Business Development at MIND, inviting me to come and meet with the team, as well as find out more about the vital work they do every single day.

The REST hub in Norwich is an incredible local asset – one of four such hubs run by MIND in Norfolk – and MIND are contracted by the local Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board to run a wide variety of other mental health support services across the county too.

They do vitally important work and it was a real privilege to see what they do on the frontline.

To learn more, please see the video I filmed with Kate Frost, Manager of Norwich REST below.

2 March 2023
World Book Day

Today is World Book Day, an annual charity event that began in 1995 to promote children reading books for pleasure and every child in full-time education will be given a book token, offering them the opportunity to choose a book of their own. 

Reading improves children's vocabulary while learning new information and enhancing their imagination. Today is also a fun way to appreciate many authors across over 100 countries around the world, but also to recognise the literary heritage within Norfolk - with Norwich being the first English city to be names a UNESCO City of Literature. 

Raising the level of aspiration in our Norfolk schools is vital for our future - and at the heart of my Norfolk Way project. What better way than to give youngsters a love of reading: a love that opens doors in our minds and stays with us for the rest of our lives? 

That’s why I was delighted to launch the “Get Norfolk Reading” campaign in 2017 in conjunction with Beanstalk – details here - https://www.beanstalkcharity.org.uk/register-now. The reading campaign is also supported by Stephen Fry, Louis de Bernieres and many other authors from our area. 

If you know of anyone who has a few hours to spare each week to read to children of primary age, please do encourage them to get involved and together we can make a difference.

2 March 2023
NHS Dentists – Update

One of the top issues in my in-tray over recent weeks and months has been NHS dentistry and the inability of so many in our area to get an appointment, even in cases of urgent care.

That’s why I have been campaigning hard on this issue – both locally and in Westminster. Dental health is a crucial part of NHS services and it is vital that EVERYONE can access the support they need.

As part of my ongoing efforts to speak up on behalf of Mid Norfolk, I welcomed the chance to be involved in a call with NHS England and the Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board yesterday. With every Norfolk constituency represented, we heard more about the news that the commissioning of NHS dentistry will be delegated by NHS England to the local ICB from the beginning of April – and what that could mean for services in the future.

For years I have made the case that the best way to improve local NHS services is via stronger local integration (see more here). I am pleased therefore that there is broad agreement that this step will mark a positive move in that direction, allowing local NHS providers to better coordinate dental support alongside other related and/or important healthcare provision.

I also welcomed the news that NHS England have been working with the local ICB for a year to best manage the transition of commissioning, and that they remain committed to working closely with the ICB to support their leadership, but also to address some of the wider policy issues that need addressing – such as how best we can attract and retain NHs dentists in our region.

NHS England also indicated a willingness to engage proactively with local MPs as we drive forward calls for a new Dental School here in Norfolk (to learn more, click here), recognising the value such an institution would provide.

As explained in my update back in January (see here), the Government published its Our Plan for Patients in September, setting out the steps being taken to incentivise dentists to do more NHS work (not just private), as well as to take on some of the more difficult cases. In the weeks and months that followed, the Government worked at pace to begin implementing that plan and, on 25th November, introduced legislation to amend the NHS dental contract, again to better incentivise dentists to deliver care to high-need patients through fairer remuneration and improve the NHS dental sector’s resilience – for example, by allowing greater flexibility around commission so that NHS dentists can provide extra are where they are able to.

Yesterday, my fellow Norfolk MPs and I learned what, in practice, some of that will mean for services on the frontline in the short-medium term.

Dental practices will now be able to better utilise the likes of hygienists and high skilled practice staff and therapists. Moving forward, they will be able to perform a role similar to that which we’ve grown accustomed of expecting from a practice nurse in a GP surgery, being able to carry out basic check-ups and lower level care. In turn, this will increase the number of patients many of our local NHS dental practices can see, while freeing up our NHS dentists themselves to focus on the more specialist and urgent treatments that some patients require. (Having specifically called for this step to taken in my letters to the dental minister last year, I am delighted to see the Government is clearly listening to the advice being given by MPs – based on the feedback they are themselves receiving from experienced professionals in the sector).

In addition, NHS dental practices will have greater freedom to personalise the recall period for patients. As we know, traditionally, patients receive six monthly check ups. However, if a patient has healthy teeth and a history of good oral care, there is no need for such regular check ups. Instead, moving forward, dental practices will be able to recall patients with healthy teeth over larger timescales – for example eighteen months. This will, again, free up much needed capacity for our local NHS dentists to see patients with dental issues and, crucially, children – who are at greater risk of tooth decay in their development years.

The ICB will also have stronger powers to make NHS dental practices update their availability more regularly. I know from my correspondence with constituents that one of the major frustrations they have is the lack of up to date information provided by local practices.

Despite this positive news however, I know that there remains much to be done. My fellow parliamentary colleagues and I made it clear to NHS England and the ICB that YOU, our constituents, need to see progress quickly.

We impressed upon them the importance of tackling the longer term structural issues to our NHS dental sector that need addressing (again, around recruitment and retention) and requested more information as to how the ICB, with NHS England support, will better monitor the performances of registered NHS dentists. We also asked them to consider what more can be done to encourage private dentists to take on more NHS dental work.

Rest assured, this remains a central focus of mine – and I will continue to lobby hard on behalf of Mid Norfolk.

To learn more about my NHS dental campaign to date, please click here.

2 March 2023
Chapel Green School Visit

Since becoming the MP for Mid Norfolk back in 2010, I have had the pleasure and privilege of getting to know and support the wonderful staff at Chapel Green School – helping them get the school’s relocation from their old, cramped, unfit for purpose site in Attleborough to their new state-of-the-art home in Old Buckenham over the line, and working with them as they look to ensure they provide the very best education and care for some of our most vulnerable youngsters.

That’s why I was delighted to visit the school again this past Friday as part of my regular schedule of school visits around Mid Norfolk.

Emily Severn and her dedicated team work tirelessly to support their students and I am always inspired whenever I get the chance to visit and see first-hand how they are getting on in their new home.

As part of my ongoing work to speak up for SEND provision in both our specialist and mainstream schools, I remain committed to doing all I can to support the Chapel Green team – and hope to be able to visit them again later this year.

To stay up to date with my campaign work on SEND education, please click here.

1 March 2023
Climate Hope Action In Norfolk – Cross-Party Panel Event

Having grown up on my stepdad’s farm, previously worked as Parliamentary Officer for the NFU and now represented a largely rural constituency for almost thirteen years, I have always had a deep connection to the environment. Many of my hobbies embrace the outdoors, including sailing and walking, and I have always been a major advocate of the Road to Net Zero, highlighting the frontline role that our region can have, and already is having, in the ‘Green Revolution’ that will help us tackle carbon emissions and embrace a cleaner, greener, healthier model of life.

That’s why I was delighted to participate in Climate Hope Action In Norfolk’s ‘Climate Change is here – what now?’ event this past Friday in Wymondham.

In front of a wonderfully rowdy crowd in a packed Wymondham Central Hall, I welcomed the chance to debate this key issue for us all with those from across the political spectrum. I made the case that we won’t tackle global warming by Davos summitry or green anarchy criminal damage, but rather by pursuing ‘Green Growth’ – highlighting some of the great, pioneering work already being driven forward by our Science, Research, Technology and Innovation sectors, including right here in the East at the likes of the Norwich Research Park, Easton Food Hub and Hethel Engineering Centre.

Mid Norfolk and the East’s role in the ‘Green Revolution’ will not only help shape our world’s future. It will also create thousands of new jobs in some of the fastest growing and most exciting sectors of today and tomorrow – spreading prosperity and breathing fresh life into our local communities and services.

I am determined to do all I can to help Mid Norfolk embrace that role and help local households and businesses made their way forwards on the Road to Net Zero.

To learn more about my work on Net Zero and the environment, please visit my website here.