BURNHAM-on-Sea MP James Heappey spoke in the House of Commons this week to highlight the challenges Somerset NHS services face as well as praising health services in his constituency for managing the demands of the winter season. 

The MP spoke in a debate on January 11 after it was announced hospitals across the UK are suffering as demand for NHS services skyrockets.  

Mr Heappey said at the debate: "Demand at the four A and E's that serve my constituency was significantly higher in the week between Christmas and New Year than in the same week in the previous year. 

"In two of the A and E's demand had almost doubled."

Mr Heappey's comments come after The British Red Cross said the NHS was in a 'humanitarian crisis' as a third of hospitals warned they needed action to be taken to help them cope with increasing demand. 

"I know that the A and E staff had to work extrordinarily hard to meet that demand and I know too from some constituents who have contacted me that some had not been seen in the time they might expect. 

"However, I have heard from some others who had visited A and E expecting bedlam only to be seen in well under four hours.

"Further into the hospital system, three of the four hospitals that serve the Wells constituency have more beds available this year, in the last week of 2016, the first week of 2017 than they did in the corresponding period in the previous year."

The MP spoke of his fears that occupancy rates in the four hospitals in his constituency were high saying they were 'a real cause for concern'. 

Mr Heappey encouraged the government to look at the funding settlement for Somerset next year.

He asked the governement to adjust the funding settlement to ensure the funding gap between urban and rural areas does not widen and so that funding for adult social care clearly reflects places in the country which need it most.