Good communication can mean the difference between effective healthcare and missed opportunities.

It’s a lesson I learned during my time in the NHS, where I worked to connect high-performing hospitals with those needing support. By fostering clinician-to-clinician dialogue, we achieved measurable improvements in patient outcomes and saved money.

I was reminded of this during recent constituency visits. In a meeting with a doctor from the East Hampshire Primary Care Network, we discussed how schools, pharmacies, opticians, and other institutions can work together to support patients.

A joined-up approach ensures people receive the right care, at the right time, in the right place.

This theme also arose during my visit to Specsavers in Farnham. They are keen to make their services more accessible but face challenges linking with other parts of the system.

Communication gaps create barriers, preventing patients from receiving seamless care.

At the Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice, which provides vital end-of-life care, I heard similar concerns. Hospices, a cornerstone of compassionate healthcare, sometimes struggle to coordinate with GPs, hospitals, and community services due to poor communication channels.

Strengthening these links is essential to ensure patients and families receive the support they need during life’s most difficult moments.

Local Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) - three of which cover this constituency - play a key role in ensuring collaboration between primary care, schools, and community providers. Strong leadership at this level can empower services to work together effectively, but it requires sustained focus and funding.

As your MP in opposition, I cannot set Government policy, but I can ensure your voices are heard.

Whether through my role on the Health and Social Care Select Committee or raising questions in Parliament, I am determined to address communication gaps undermining patient care.

This includes encouraging ICB coordination and holding the Government accountable for NHS management.

This isn’t about reinventing the wheel - it’s about implementing simple, practical measures to help professionals share information and work together.

A GP familiar with a child’s health history should easily coordinate with their school. An optician spotting early signs of eye-health issues should quickly relay that information to the GP.

We need a healthcare system that listens, connects, and acts as one. By championing local solutions and bringing your concerns to the forefront, I will continue fighting for better healthcare.

Communication isn’t just a tool in healthcare; it is the foundation on which effective, compassionate care is built.