IT has been great to hit the ground running again early this year, both locally and in Westminster.
From listening to thousands of you on your doorsteps and more widely, I know that access to NHS services is a top priority for us.
I regularly raise this, including in the House of Commons during the first week back after the Christmas and New Year break.
I was glad that Health Secretary Wes Streeting confirmed to me his plans to end the 8am phone scramble for booking GP appointments, including for those who do not use apps and websites confidently.
This is part of wider NHS and social care reforms: the government is working to bring back the family doctor, with 40,000 more NHS appointments a week, see waiting lists fall by nearly half a million by March 2026, and establish a much-needed commission on adult social care.
This will inform vital work towards creating a National Care Service.
I’m part of the cross-party group of MPs sitting on the Water (Special Measures) Bill Committee, tackling the sewage scandal.
As legislators, we’ve been considering line-by-line this bill, which will clean up our rivers, lakes and seas through tough action against water companies and bosses who fail customers and our environment. It contains powers to ban bonuses and introduce new penalties – including prison.
I was pleased to meet with Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson ahead of voting for the landmark Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill.
This bill will help us drive high standards in schools, put more expert teachers in classrooms, and save local families £500 a year through free breakfast clubs in all primary schools – pilot schemes are happening soon. There will also be new limits on branded uniform items, to further support families.
It was fantastic to visit St Michael’s Primary School in Stoke Gifford to meet the team, talk with the pupils and answer their brilliant questions!
A huge thank-you to everyone who has supported the school following a fire there before Christmas, not least head teacher Pete Barnard and his staff.
I have also been visiting more local businesses, including The Mall at Cribbs Causeway and Aviva, and meeting local NHS leaders to discuss their work.
My new informal ‘Coffee with Claire’ events continue, this time in Stoke Gifford.
These are a great way to get together to share ideas on how we can make ours an even better place to live.
They are held in addition to monthly advice surgeries and regular door-knocking sessions, as I try to do politics differently and bring local people together.
Keep an eye out for events near you on facebook.com/ClaireRHazelgrove or my website, clairehazelgrove.co.uk.
As ever, I’m here to help: you can email me at claire.hazelgrove.mp@parliament.uk.