For the first time in four years, people in Deal will once again be able to get their blood tests done at Victoria Hospital.

A new community phlebotomy service open its doors yesterday (Monday) – a small but significant change that will make life that bit easier for local residents who’ve had to travel further afield for tests since 2021.

It’s been made possible by strong campaigning of which I thank everyone involved, particularly the Blood Health Action Group whose tireless efforts have made this possible.

Run by Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust, the service will complement, rather than replace, the tests already offered through GP surgeries.

It means more capacity, shorter waits, and better support for people who need specific types of testing.

The first phase will run four days a week and focus on those who need urgent tests, have veins that are tricky to find, or require fasting or glucose-tolerance testing.

In January, a second phase will launch with a dedicated children’s clinic – something many parents will welcome after years of making longer journeys for these appointments.

This might not sound like a major announcement in the national picture of the NHS, but for Deal it matters.

It means patients will once again have a local option for important diagnostic work.

It means the hospital – a place that’s been at the heart of our community for generations – will be doing more of what it should: providing frontline care close to home.

And it ties neatly into what’s happening across the country.

The NHS is finally seeing signs of renewed momentum.

Over the past year, productivity has risen, waiting times have started to shorten, and hospitals are treating more patients, more quickly, and at lower cost.

It’s proof that the extra investment and reforms brought in by the Labour government are starting to bite – not through sweeping slogans, but through practical, patient-focused improvements.

Better technology, more efficient use of staff, and an emphasis on local services are all part of that progress.

What’s happening in Deal reflects that wider shift: empowering communities and hospitals to do more for the people they serve.

After years of frustration about cuts and centralisation, seeing services like this return to Victoria Hospital feels like a real step forward.

It’s a reminder that progress in the NHS doesn’t always arrive in big headline-grabbing projects – sometimes it’s about the simple things that make daily life better for patients and families.

For Deal, the return of blood testing isn’t just a medical service coming back.

It’s a sign of confidence in our local hospital, in our town, and in a health service that’s finally starting to feel like it’s moving in the right direction again.