Huntingdon MP Jonathan Djanogly was at Hinchingbrooke Hospital on Friday where he was given an insight into some of the services provided by Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust.
The justice minister visited the musculoskeletal physiotherapy department, met staff and patients.
He also signed up to become a member of trust’s push to become an NHS Foundation Trust - a proposal the organisation is currently consulting with the public about.
CCS provides services for children, older people and adults across Cambridgeshire, including the special care baby unit and the children’s ward at Hinchingbrooke Hospital.
Amanda Phillips, clinical specialist physiotherapist at CCS, said: “We are delighted Mr Djanogly was able to visit our physiotherapy department. We were able to show him our face to face physiotherapy services including the gym and treatment area at Hinchingbrooke Hospital, as well as our award-winning physio direct service.
“It was a great opportunity for staff to meet their local MP and talk about the innovative services we are developing to assist people with musculoskeletal problems – which are a major cause of morbidity in the population and a leading cause of days lost from work.”
Mr Djanogly praised the work of the physiotherapy team and the development of community physiotherapy services.
“Huntingdonshire residents are benefiting from the work the team have put into reviewing how services can be locally accessible to give the best possible care,” he said.
CCS’s consultation about its bid for foundation status was launched in January. It says it wants to become a foundation trust as it will allow it to have stronger links with local communities, have more freedom to decide on priorities and improve the services and be free from central government control - foundation trusts are overseen by the independent regulator, Monitor.
INFORMATION: The next public meetings in the consultation process take place on tomorrow (Thursday) at Fourfields Community Primary School in Yaxley and on March 10 at The Rosmini Centre, Wisbech. Both start at 6.30pm.
Further details, including how to get involved, are available at www.cambscommunityservices.nhs.uk
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