Lobbying for Hospital Investments and Judging at the Dog Show

Report back from Andy Slaughter, MP for Hammersmith and Chiswick

Andy Slaughter MP helped choose Digby (centre front) as Best Youngster Dog

September 28, 2024

A quieter week locally last week due to the annual Labour Party Conference in Liverpool. Before Conference got underway, I did manage to fit in some meetings on local issues and a few local events.

Five other west London MP’s and I met with the Chief Executive of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust to discuss the future of Charing Cross, St Mary’s and Hammersmith hospitals in the New Hospital Programme.

The New Hospital Programme was a flagship scheme of the previous Government, but we were all left dismayed last year when the previous Health Secretary announced that our three local hospitals would be removed from the main scheme.

The new Health Secretary has promised a review of the Programme to ensure affordability, and in the meantime, west London MP’s will be meeting with ministers in the autumn to keep pushing for our local hospitals to be returned to the main scheme.

My first time being a judge at Chiswick Dog Show was a great experience. I was safely guided by my fellow judges, Xanthe Arvanitakis, Director of Chiswick House and Gardens Trust and Christopher Berkett, owner of Richmond Vets4Pets. We chose Digby, a beautiful Hungarian Vizsla as Best Youngster Dog.

I attended Askew Road Arts Festival where I enjoyed lots of art, photography and creative events and opened Tunnels of Hope 2 – a project founded by Ros Elwes to turn unused subways in west London into exhibition space. Artwork for the project was provided by pupils of St Peter’s CofE Primary school focussing on plastic pollution in our oceans, alongside celebrated artists.

Andy Slaughter MP cutting the ribbon at Tunnels of Hope 2

Best wishes,

Andy

andy@andyslaughter.com

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