Health Secretary visits Cornwall and confirms approval of new cancer ward
Matt Hancock also met GPs in St Austell, involved in the Covid vaccination programme
Last updated 26th May 2021
The Health Secretary has been on a whistle-stop tour of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
Matt Hancock spoke to staff at Treliske about plans for its new Women and Children's Unit.
He also confirmed the hospital's MRI and Oncology Unit, including a new cancer ward, has been approved.
Mr Hancock later visited the St Austell Healthcare GP Practice, to hear about its involvement with the vaccine programme.
On Wednesday, the minister praised the "phenomenal pace" of the rollout as it was extended to include over-30s in England.
Matt Hancock visited the Isles of Scilly to be briefed on an ambitious project to create a single health and care campus with a co-located workforce.
The campus would include GPs, a pharmacy and dentist as well as minor injury, urgent care, mental health, adult social are and voluntary sector services.
It would also incorporate bedded care to replace those currently provided by the hospital and Park House.
During a visit to Treliske, Matt Hancock confirmed that the Royal Cornwall Hospitals' Trust's (RCHT) Oncology Ward and MRI re-provision programme has been approved.
He also reiterated that a new women's and children's hospital for RCHT continues to be one of the 40 new hospitals that the Government is prioritising on delivering.
"It's an exciting period for our hospitals and local health and care services.
"We have our biggest ever investment in buildings and infrastructure happening over the next few years and our plans to work ever closer as an integrated care system give us a once in a lifetime opportunity to develop services that are truly working together for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly".
RCHT Chief Executive, Kate Shields
Mr Hancock rounded off his visit at the St Austell Healthcare GP practice where he was able to talk to clinicians about their experiences of integrated care and their involvement in the vaccination programme.
The St Austell primary care network has delivered 27,541 vaccinations out of the total 551,758 doses delivered since December 2020.
"We have made great strides in our commitment towards integrated care including taking the lead in social prescribing which has been adopted by many of our colleagues in primary care across the county and employing a lead integration nurse as well as 3 integration emergency care practitioners/nurses, which have transformed interaction with the community.
"We are also very proud of the part that we have played in the roll-out of the vaccination programme and helping to protect our most vulnerable and get everyone back on the path of normality".
James McClure, GP partner at St Austell Healthcare
The Health Secretary later shared plans for transforming care models in health and social care with the county's health and care leaders.