THE proposed closure of St Austell Healthcare’s Macular Clinic has caused a lot of concern and frustration for its patients. The clinic currently provides vital treatment locally for people with serious eye conditions, including macular degeneration which is often treated through injections directly to the eyes.

Many constituents have been in touch with me to voice their worries and dismay after the Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust’s (RCHT) decision had been made public, and I share these concerns. The closure would have been planned for October 1, with treatment moving to the Royal Cornwall Hospital Treliske from October 2 onwards.

Following conversations with the Integrated Care Board (ICB), I am pleased to say that the Trust has agreed to pause the decision to move services out of St Austell.

This only a temporary reprieve for now, and I believe the decision to close the clinic should be fully reversed and the services kept in St Austell. Our town’s Elective Surgical Hub is able to provide some services in this area. However, should the final decision be to close the clinic services, it would mean many patients having to travel to Treliske for their care. The vast majority of these patients have visual impairments, making it even more essential for their care to be provided without the need to travel long distances.

One of our Government’s goals has been to bring the NHS closer to home, but this decision from the RCHT would achieve the exact opposite. I will be keeping up the pressure on RCHT to scrap plans to close the clinic, and ensure that treatment from this vital service in St Austell can continue for the clinic’s patients beyond October.

We all know the enormous challenges facing the NHS, but we have already been making great progress. Just over a year ago, our government inherited a health system in a deep crisis, but since then we have been investing an extra £25.7-billion into the NHS. Thanks to this we have brought waiting lists down to a two-year low.

Our Labour Government also delivered on the ambitious manifesto pledge to provide two million more appointments a year to cut waiting times and achieved this target seven months early.

We cannot allow access to treatment to go backwards while funding is at its highest level. Penny-pinching on frontline delivery has to end.