I was absolutely delighted to officially launch the construction of the new Brackley Medical Centre earlier today.

It is a fantastic project that will deliver huge benefits for the residents of Brackley and the surrounding area, serving patients registered at GPs in Towcester, Silverstone, Banbury, Middleton Cheney and Bicester, much as the old Brackley Cottage Hospital used to do. Since the closure of the Cottage Hospital, a significant imbalance in the provision of community step-down beds had arisen between what is available in the north of the county and what is available here in the south.

The new facility will include GP services, a pharmacy, 16 intermediate “step-down” care beds, x-ray facilities, a minor injuries unit and other services across three storeys, and will be a huge asset to the town.

I am very grateful to of Dr Philip Stevens, our fantastic local GP Chair, Angela Hillery who is the Chief Executive of the Northamptonshire NHS Healthcare Foundation Trust, and Chris Taylor of Dudley Taylor Pharmacies who has led the development for their dedication to getting this project off the ground, and I look forward to coming back later in the year to cut the ribbon to open the new medical centre.