Around one-quarter of my postbag is made up of correspondence from people writing to me about their experiences with their local health and care services.

That might include waiting times for treatment, seeing a GP, dental services, mental health waits, the availability of paid carers, ambulance response times, or support for unpaid carers.

An MP who didn’t act on that weight of correspondence could not deign to call themselves a representative.

Like in other areas of Government, the new Health Ministers are beginning to produce the outlines of what their new plans might look like.

One of the proposals by the Health Secretary that caught my eye was the plan to create neighbourhood health centres or ‘hubs’.

It reminded me of some of our excellent community hospitals across our area, such as in Axminster, Honiton, Ottery St Mary, Seaton and Sidmouth.

They already run a wide range of clinics and services, including x-ray, optometry, surgery, pain management, audiology, urology and rheumatology.

These locally based clinics mean local people can be seen for a variety of health problems, without needing to travel into Exeter or further afield.

Our community hospitals previously included inpatient beds.

Then, almost a decade ago - amid widespread and vociferous opposition - the beds were closed.

Only Sidmouth Hospital was spared, retaining some medical inpatient beds.

It seems that Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, proposes that GPs, district nurses, care workers and other medical professionals are based in the same building.

Rumour has it that funding for the plans is set to be announced as part of the Budget this Wednesday.

Any plan that develops health services at a more local level is to be welcomed and I will be asking the Health Secretary to cherish and develop our five excellent community hospitals.

The NHS was neglected by the former Conservative government over the course of the last decade.

This is in evidence locally; we have some incredible local NHS staff pulling off an incredible level of service for patients, in spite of the constraints that they are working under.

Our health and care services are in desperate need of attention.

Any changes must complement and enhance our existing rural services, such as our community hospitals.