Mental Health Awareness Week

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This week is Mental Health Awareness Week, and the theme this year is action, because while awareness matters, real change only comes when we act on it. 

To mark this, I met with my constituent, Alina Marinca, who has just finished an outstanding research project on children’s mental health. Too many young people in our community are struggling to access the support they need, whether through schools, GPs or specialist services, and the waiting times have been too long for too many years. I wanted to hear directly about their experience and what needs to change to deliver more effective mental health support for our young people. From speaking to Alina, it was insightful to hear more about the impacts of sleep disturbance as an underlying factor for many mental health conditions, and the role that social media can play in impacting mental health.

If you or your family are affected by mental health difficulties, I would encourage you to reach out. You can contact your GP, or call the NHS mental health helpline on 111 and select the mental health option.

Young people can also access support through Young Minds (youngminds.org.uk) or by texting YM to 85258. And as always, if you would like to discuss mental health services in our area or share your insights, please do send me an email. 

Meeting Alice in Parliament

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It was a pleasure to meet Alice, a student of Laurel Park School proudly living with PANS.

As part of the PANS PANDAS UK Youth Advisory Board, Alice came to Parliament to talk to MPs about Paediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome and her experience with it. It was great to hear from the experts about the impact of PANS on both physical and mental health, and what more support young people like Alice need from the Government.

We even got a photo with Glitch the Panda! Well done, Alice!

Health Secretary visits Wood Green

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I was pleased to welcome the Health Secretary to the Wood Green Community Diagnostic Centre this week. The visit came as new data showed that, despite the busiest winter on record for the NHS, waiting lists have fallen to their lowest level in three years.

Community Diagnostic Centres like the one in Wood Green play an important role in helping patients access tests and scans more quickly, reducing pressure on hospitals and helping people receive diagnoses and treatment sooner. It was a great opportunity to highlight the valuable work being done locally to improve healthcare services for residents.

Read more about the data here: NHS England » NHS waiting list continues to fall despite record winter

Concern about ICB Merger

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Please see below the letter I have sent to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care relaying my concerns about the upcoming Integrated Care Board merger.

BC65988Download

Prostate Cancer Screening

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Please see below a letter to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care that I have signed calling for targeted prostate cancer screening for those with the highest risk and an end to the delays that are costing men their lives.

MP-letter-on-the-Urgent-Need-for-Targeted-Prostate-Cancer-Screening-November-2025Download

Visit to North Middlesex University Hospital

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It was wonderful to visit North Middlesex University Hospital on the 8th of August and meet the fantastic staff working hard to deliver the best care for patients.

I was pleased to see the Evan Nathan Smith unit up and running, as well as meet the passionate staff who treat sickle cell and thalassaemia patients. It was also great to visit the amazing maternity unit and learn more about vital research into improving black health outcomes.

Thank you to Nnenna and all of the staff at North Middlesex Hospital!

Health and Social Care Questions

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This week, I asked the Minister for Public Health and Prevention if targets for cancer diagnosis, referral, and treatment will be prioritised in the National Cancer Plan.

Listen to her response below, or read her response here.

North Mid Sickle Cell and Thalassemia Centre

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On New Years Eve, I joined the Chief Nurse for London, Karen Bonner MBE, to officially open the sickle cell and thalassemia emergency department bypass unit at North Middlesex University Hospital. 

I want to thank those who played a huge role in making this bypass unit possible, improving care and securing better outcomes for patients who present to the emergency department with sickle cell disease and thalassemia.