Construction of a new MRI centre at West Berkshire Community Hospital

That this House welcomes the commencement of construction of a new MRI diagnostic centre at West Berkshire Community Hospital in Newbury, which will be capable of delivering over 17,000 scans a year and will bring care closer to patients; applauds the generosity of local charities, including the Newbury and Thatcham Hospital Building Trust, the Peter Baker Foundation, Greenham Trust and the Storey Foundation, whose donations of more than £2 million have made this state-of-the-art facility possible; notes the UK Government’s recent Budget announcement of 250 new Neighbourhood Health Centres across England to cut waiting times and deliver healthcare direct to people’s homes; recognises the particular need for such centres in rural areas like West Berkshire, where access to primary and diagnostic care can be more limited; and calls on the Government to ensure that rural communities are fully included in the rollout of Neighbourhood Health Centres so that patients outside major towns and cities benefit equally from modern, localised healthcare.