Author Archives: joshmacmp

Improving health services across West Cumbria was one of the five pledges I made to local people before last year’s General Election. It’s been one of my top priorities as your MP over the last ten months and I want to share the progress that we’re making locally and the government is making nationally. IContinue reading “Weekly Column – 14.05.2025 – Progress to improve local health services”

West Cumbria, like many parts of the country, faces a shortage of NHS dentists, with patients forced to wait until their issue is urgent before being able to access care. Even then, many are still having to wait for an urgent appointment at a limited number of practices. Whitehaven and Workington MP Josh MacAlister saysContinue reading “MP calls for new Urgent Dental Access Centre in West Cumbria”

We’ve had a couple of weeks celebrating national pride and patriotism, with St. George’s Day recently followed by the 80th anniversary of VE Day this week. I was honoured to invite a local hero to Downing Street for a reception hosted by the Prime Minister on St. George’s Day. For me, it is a dayContinue reading “Weekly Column – 07.05.2025 – Pride and Patriotism”

A bold and ambitious plan to deliver better health services for people in Workington was raised with Ministers in Parliament this week by the town’s MP, Josh MacAlister. Health outcomes in Workington are poor and local services are fragmented. The government’s manifesto promise to deliver new Neighbourhood Health Centres to join up services across anContinue reading ““Transformative” plan for Workington health services shared with Ministers”

Most weeks I get the chance to visit a school, chat to parents and hear from NHS services. In these conversations everyone agrees that it’s good we are now more aware of conditions like autism and ADHD, but a recurring topic is the huge increase in diagnosis amongst children. So it prompts the question: what’sContinue reading “Weekly Column – 30.04.2025 – Getting the Diagnosis Right for Children”

I hope everyone had a restful break over Easter and had the chance to catch up with friends and family.  For those local families with children in nursery or primary school it’s now back to the morning rush to get them clothed and fed and in on time so you’re not late for work. AndContinue reading “Weekly Column – 23.04.2025 – Putting money back in the pockets of working families”

Whitehaven and Workington MP Josh MacAlister is celebrating the announcement of a major expansion of the Government funded Project Gigabit to give access to superfast fibre broadband to nearly five thousand more properties across West Cumbria. A £50 million boost to the programme will see an additional 21,000 premises in rural areas across Cumbria includedContinue reading “Nearly 5,000 more properties in West Cumbria to be included in fibre broadband rollout thanks to £50 million Government investment”

Unlocking our nuclear future is critical for West Cumbria because it will generate clean power to power new industries that will create jobs and diversify our economy so we’re not so reliant on decommissioning. Nine months into the job I want to update you on my progress and outline my plans for the next fewContinue reading “Weekly Column – 09.04.2025 – Nine months fighting to clear the way for new nuclear”

Plans for a major expansion of the Port of Workington are progressing at pace, say the leaders of the Port Taskforce which is driving the proposals forward. The taskforce is chaired by Whitehaven and Workington MP Josh MacAlister and Cumberland Council leader Mark Fryer and has been meeting since last summer. It was formed toContinue reading “Progress on Port plans marked by Taskforce”

I do regular walk-abouts to find out what the top issues are for people. So many people raise the issue of dangerous off-road bikes flying around estates or up and down footpaths.  Too often the crimes which affect people and businesses most are dismissed as low-level. But it doesn’t feel low-level when people need toContinue reading “Weekly Column – 02.04.2025 – Taking back our neighbourhoods from criminals”