Asked by: Mike Martin (Liberal Democrat - Tunbridge Wells)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has had discussions with NHS Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board on commissioning building upgrades at Woodlands Health Centre in Tunbridge Wells constituency.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department has engaged with all integrated care boards (ICBs), including the NHS Kent and Medway ICB, as part of the process for developing the future pipeline of neighbourhood health centres. The NHS Kent and Medway ICB has submitted a proposal for the Woodlands Health Centre.
Proposals are currently being assessed against published criteria, as set out in the Neighbourhood Health Centre Guidance, and final decisions on future schemes have yet to be made. Projects that meet the criteria will be invited to develop detailed business cases before any final funding decisions are taken.
Asked by: Mike Martin (Liberal Democrat - Tunbridge Wells)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has had discussions with NHS Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board on plans to upgrade GP provision and access in the Tunbridge Wells constituency, specifically at the (i) Lonsdale, (ii) Woodlands, (iii) Grosvenor & St James, (iv) Kingswood and (v) Speldhurst & Greggswood surgeries.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Secretary of State for Wales
We are increasing general practice (GP) capacity and funding to improve access. The Department has not held discussions with the NHS Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board. It is for the relevant commissioner to ensure that appropriate provision is in place locally.
We are investing an additional ÂŁ601 million in GPs in 2026/27, bringing total spend on the GP Contract to approximately ÂŁ14 billion. This builds on the ÂŁ1.1 billion increase in 2025/26, the largest uplift in over a decade. Since October 2024, ÂŁ160 million has supported over 2,000 more GPs in primary care networks across England. Additionally, the 2026/27 contract also introduces a practice-level GP reimbursement scheme, backed by ÂŁ292 million, to help practices recruit more GPs or expand sessions.
Tunbridge Wells sits within the Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board. 9,000 more GP appointments were delivered in the 12 months to May 2026 compared to the year previous. Additionally, the 2025 General Practice Patient Survey found that 70% of patients rated their overall experience of their practice as “good” in 2025, an increase of 5% since 2023. Further information on specific GP appointment data by individual practice is available in the table attached.
Asked by: Mike Martin (Liberal Democrat - Tunbridge Wells)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of access to GP services in the Tunbridge Wells constituency.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Secretary of State for Wales
We are increasing general practice (GP) capacity and funding to improve access. The Department has not held discussions with the NHS Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board. It is for the relevant commissioner to ensure that appropriate provision is in place locally.
We are investing an additional ÂŁ601 million in GPs in 2026/27, bringing total spend on the GP Contract to approximately ÂŁ14 billion. This builds on the ÂŁ1.1 billion increase in 2025/26, the largest uplift in over a decade. Since October 2024, ÂŁ160 million has supported over 2,000 more GPs in primary care networks across England. Additionally, the 2026/27 contract also introduces a practice-level GP reimbursement scheme, backed by ÂŁ292 million, to help practices recruit more GPs or expand sessions.
Tunbridge Wells sits within the Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board. 9,000 more GP appointments were delivered in the 12 months to May 2026 compared to the year previous. Additionally, the 2025 General Practice Patient Survey found that 70% of patients rated their overall experience of their practice as “good” in 2025, an increase of 5% since 2023. Further information on specific GP appointment data by individual practice is available in the table attached.