The festive season reminds us of the importance of caring for those less fortunate than ourselves, such as those with mental health problems or the frail elderly in our communities. Last week, Dan visited the Studio Landia Day Care Centre in Mendham, which provides care for elderly residents in Suffolk within a comfortable and supportive environment. The staff at Studio Landia provide a vital service for people in Suffolk approaching the later stages of their lives, whilst simultaneously providing much-needed relief for their carers, who selflessly give up so much of their time to look after elderly relatives and friends. Dan spoke with manager Ann Harlow and Dawn South over lunch about the importance of delivering more integrated care between local NHS services, GPs and adult social services, along with the problems surrounding referral rates to the centre in recent years.
People are living longer – which is a good thing - and as they do, the number of people living with long-term illnesses also increases. As both a doctor and an MP, Dan considers it essential to provide dignity and compassion in caring for elderly people, and he will continue to use his knowledge and experience of the NHS, along with his position on the Health Select Committee in Parliament to ensure that Suffolk has a more community-focussed, integrated health care service.