Local MP Launches Health Survey to Highlight NHS Challenges

Ian Sollom, the MP for St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire, has launched an online health survey to gather residents’ experiences of local NHS services.

The survey asks questions about key areas such as ambulance response times, access to GPs and dentists, waiting times for A&E and surgery, and the timeliness of cancer treatment.

Sollom said the survey aims to highlight problem areas and give constituents a voice:

“The NHS is my top priority. Many people have contacted me about long waits to see a GP or access treatment, difficulties finding an NHS dentist, and poor experiences in hospital A&Es. I want to understand these issues fully so I can raise concerns with the Government and push for improvements.”

The need for such a survey is backed up by national statistics. NHS England reports that the average ambulance response time for Category 2 calls was 27 minutes and 34 seconds in May 2025, well above the 18-minute national target. Cancer care also continues to face challenges, with only 69.2% of patients receiving their first treatment within 62 days of an urgent referral in July 2025, compared to the NHS target of 85% according to figures from Cancer Research UK.

Access to GP appointments remains a concern too. The Care Quality Commission found that 17% of appointments took place more than two weeks after booking as of March 2024, while the British Dental Association reports that up to 97% of new patients are unable to access NHS dental care.

Residents in St Neots can complete the survey online, and to ensure everyone has the opportunity to take part, a paper copy will also be delivered to homes across the area. The survey is available at www.iansollom.org/nhssurvey.

Listen to Ian Sollom MP explaining more about the survey to Black Cat Radio: