Shropshire MP launches Health and Social Care Campaign

Stuart Anderson MP has launched a major review into the delivery of health and social care services in South Shropshire.

As part of this, Stuart is inviting residents to respond to a new survey which seeks information on their experience of using local health and social care services.

It is part of Stuart’s long term campaign to enhance public services in South Shropshire. Stuart wants to understand the pressures they are under and support efforts to improve services like community hospitals.

Stuart has said that he is determined to reduce rural disparities in the access and quality of these services to achieve better outcomes.

This includes the Farming Wellbeing Gap, which refers to the significant disparity in mental and physical health between the agricultural community and the general population.

Stuart’s campaign follows research from the House of Commons Library, which has found that South Shropshire has a higher than average prevalence of major health conditions.

This includes cancer (6.4%), heart disease (4.4%), dementia (1.27%), and respiratory diseases like COPD (2.06%) and asthma (7.3%).

At the same time, South Shropshire has a higher than average ratio of patients per GP - reflecting the ongoing case of worse provision in more rural areas.

In August 2025, only 68.5% of cancer patients in South Shropshire were treated within 62 days compared to the operational standard of 85%.

Shropshire Council’s spending on social care has also increased from 58% to 74% over the last six years. Stuart has warned that council tax reforms could worsen this situation.

Stuart intends to submit the findings of the survey to Government Ministers to help shape local health and social care policy.