Sir Kier Starmer

Prime Minister Sir Kier Starmer talks to the Peterborough Telegraph

Transcript

00:00I do understand the frustration when people see the houses going up but they don't see the local

00:05GP surgery opening and they don't see the local schools or nurseries opening at the same time and

00:12all three of those have to go together and that will be part of the way in which we roll out

00:16further housing so that yes we get the housing that people need so they get on the housing ladder

00:22but it doesn't impact local people who are waiting for their hospital appointment or

00:28whatever it may be housing I mean we need to get the balance right here that you know there are

00:33many families who want a house that they can call their own and they're having to wait far too long

00:39but you're right what needs to happen with future housing development is that the infrastructure

00:46the roads the health the schools need to be done at the same time because I do understand the

00:51frustration when people see the houses going up but they don't see the local GP surgery

00:57opening and they don't see the local schools or nurseries opening at the same time and all

01:02three of those have to go together and that will be by making sure that people can use diagnostic

01:08centres it's much better for people in Peterborough and it keeps people or doesn't mean they have to

01:12go to the hospital so it alleviates the pressure on the hospital as well on the cancer weights

01:20we have got a specific cancer plan coming out because it is really important you're absolutely

01:24right we're determined you know having inherited a pretty bad position on the NHS from the last

01:31government it's our job to turn it around so there is going to be a plan in relation to that

01:37to make sure that those cancer scans and appointments are timely and as soon as there's

01:44more detail on that Paul very happy to make sure that you've got the detail that you need

01:49on that you know the the problem here is the waiting lists which are now 7.5 million

01:55and that's the backlog that we inherited and we pledged that we would get down by gripping it

02:01immediately and that's what we're doing there are a number of strands to that which are important

02:07to Peterborough the first is our plans for community diagnostic centres so these are

02:15centres where the GP can send an individual straight to the diagnostic centre for scans or

02:21for tests and the tests and consultations will be on the same day and significantly we're opening

02:30them for seven days a week 12 hours a day so it should make a significant difference to people

02:37who need to have tests or scans we're developing the NHS app which will make it easier for people

02:42to manage the information backwards and forwards with the NHS on appointments and other things

02:47and reforming using technology and AI to cut the waiting lists so far as Peterborough is concerned

02:54the community diagnostic centre is going to be opening later this year it will be in Wellington

03:02Street which I think is near the cathedral and the reason for that Paul is one we want to put

03:11close to where people are going to be so putting it in the middle of Peterborough so that it's more

03:18convenient two by opening it seven days a week 12 hours a day it means that it's better suited

03:26for people to sort of fit into whatever else they're doing with their lives so they may be

03:32coming into Peterborough for other reasons and they can go to the diagnostic centre and for example

03:38don't necessarily have to take time off work because it's open seven days a week and for 12

03:42hours and it's in the middle of Peterborough so that's coming online later in 2025 and that

03:48will be an example as it were of what we want to see elsewhere around the country

03:53but that'll be in the middle of Peterborough.