Caroline is passionate about protecting local health and care resources, having been the Minister of State for Care and Mental Health from 2018 - 2020.
She frequently fights successfully for local healthcare provision, such as when she secured the reopening of Blake Maternity Unit at the Gosport War Memorial Hospital in early 2011. She has since supported the Children's Heart Unit at Southampton Hospital, met the local Clinical Commissioning Group, visited the War Memorial Hospital, Queen Alexandra Hospital (QA) and local GPs and other healthcare providers. She regularly meets with staff and management at QA to raise constituents' concerns and keep updated with developments at the site.
After a discussion with the Chief Executive of QA in early 2018 about the state of the A&E facilities, Caroline suggested that they bid for the STP Capital Scheme and subsequently the hospital put forward a proposal for redevelopment of their emergency floor. Caroline lobbied the Minister of State for Health to highlight the importance of this £58.2 million bid, which was not only successful but would also secure a long-term solution to the overstretched service, improving patient safety and ambulance waiting times. Caroline welcomed the news in March 2022 that the brand-new Emergency Department at Queen Alexandra Hospital had received full planning permission from Portsmouth City Council. She met with Health Secretary Victoria Atkins in January 2024 to bring attention to concerns about QA and visited the hospital a few days later to monitor the progress of the multi-million pound Emergency Department expansion.
In June 2022 Caroline hosted then-Health Minister Maria Caulfield in Gosport to discuss what changes can be made to improve access to NHS dentistry locally. Recently, she visited the brand-new Portsmouth University Medical School and Portsmouth Dental Academy, where graduates and students on placement will contribute to fulfilling the needs of local people.
Caroline has a strong record of campaigning for improved health outcomes. In 2021, Caroline was contacted by a constituent, Charlotte Fairall, whose daughter Sophie had tragically passed away from a rare form of cancer at just 10 years old. Sophie created a bucket list with the aim of improving the experiences of children and their families who find themselves in a similar position to herself. Caroline secured the first ever debate on childhood cancer in the House of Commons in April 2022, and after years of tireless campaigning was announced as the Chair of the newly-established Children and Young Person Cancer Taskforce, in February 2024. The first "sprints" - meetings bringing together a wide range of stakeholders in the childhood cancer field - of that Taskforce took place in March 2024. Charlotte and Caroline are determined to continue this remarkable work in Sophie's memory.
Whilst a Minister, Caroline introduced the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training for health and social care staff, which improved the understanding of the needs of those with autism or learning difficulties among healthcare workers. She hosted a Westminster Hall debate in November 2023 calling for the training to be introduced in education settings, following the training's success.
Caroline frequently meets with the various leaders of healthcare service providers for the Gosport area. This includes:
- The leaders of the NHS's Vanguard programme, for which Gosport was chosen as a provider. This project has delivered the Same Day GP Access Service at Gosport War Memorial Hospital where a Multi-Speciality Community Provider Hub has been established, integrating different healthcare specialists into one centralised location.
- Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust leadership team, in response to concerns raised by the Care Quality Commission, who update Caroline regularly on progress after past mistakes.
- The Willow Group, Fareham and Gosport Clinical Commissioning Group, the partners at Stubbington Surgery, and Southern Health NHS Trust, all regarding GP Access. In the case of Stubbington Surgery, Caroline met to help find a solution to the cramped conditions at the practice.
- Eight local healthcare organisations in May 2019, as part of a Health Forum to give Gosport constituents a unique opportunity to hear the latest updates and air their views on everything from dentistry to emergency care and ambulances to smoking cessation services.
- Nursing home staff, owners, and residents from across Gosport, Lee-on-the-Solent, Stubbington, and Hill Head (Caroline also participates in the annual National Care Home Open Day)
In May 2014, Caroline abseiled down the Spinnaker Tower and in 2012 undertook a parachute jump to raise funds for the Gosport & Fareham branch of the MS Society.
Supporting people living with dementia is something that is very close to Caroline’s heart and in 2015 she became a Dementia Friend, holding a number of training sessions in her local office. She is now a Dementia Friend Champion and has participated in the Alzheimers Society Memory Walk. Caroline also works closely with Dementia Friendly Hampshire to help make Fareham and Gosport Dementia Friendly.
With the launch of British Heart Foundation's Public Access Defibrillators scheme in 2015, Caroline called on local groups to take advantage of the defibrillator kits and CPR training on offer. As a result, life-saving equipment has been installed at a number of locations across the constituency.
The Government’s continued investment into mental health, including in schools, is welcomed by Caroline. In 2018, it was announced that Mental Health services will receive an additional £2.3 billion per year as part of the NHS five-year funding offer, including dedicated mental health teams in schools. In 2024/25, the Government expects that NHS England will meet the Mental Health Investment Standard, which requires Integrated Care Boards to increase their investment in mental health services in line with their overall increase in funding for the year.
Caroline has campaigned to bring greater fairness to the IVF guidelines implemented by the local Clinical Commissioning Group which means that couples in the Gosport and Fareham area cannot access the levels of IVF treatment they would be entitled to in other parts of the UK.
Caroline has actively raised awareness on behalf of diabetes and cancer charities both locally and nationally in recognition of their valuable work to tackle these dreadful diseases and support those affected. She joined in the WearAHatDay event with children from Alverstoke Infant School to help raise the profile of the Brain Tumour Research charity.
As Minister, Caroline announced that over 100 NHS hospitals will be able to build Changing Places facilities backed by a £2 million Government fund. Caroline is pleased that across the Gosport constituency a number of Changing Places Facilities have been installed or are planned.
Since being elected Caroline has continued to support the families of those who died at the Gosport War Memorial Hospital between 1988-2000 to access the truth of what happened to their loved ones. In June 2018, the Gosport Independent Panel published their report into these deaths. The Department of Health & Social Care have put in place a support package for those affected by events at the Gosport War Memorial – call 01132545290 or email: [email protected].
In Parliament, Caroline co-Chairs the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Carers. She spoke in favour of a Government amendment to the Health and Social Care Bill which will ensure that carers are consulted when a patient they care for is discharged from hospital. This places a new duty on NHS hospital trusts in England to ensure that unpaid carers are involved as soon as feasible when plans for the patient’s discharge are being made. The amendment covers all carers of adults needing care and support following hospital discharge, including health care support. This means that young carers looking after adults would also be covered. She also supported the Carers Leave Bill through the Commons which made provision for unpaid carers to take up to a week's unpaid leave, making it easier for carers to balance work and care commitments.
In addition to this Caroline often highlights health and social care issues in the Chamber, through OPQs, interventions and speaking in debates.
