A WEST Cumbrian MP has held his first monthly public meeting since his election to office - with residents raising issues such as problems in the NHS and lack of access to GP appointments in the area.

Whitehaven and Workington MP Josh MacAlister hosted the public meeting in the Carnegie Theatre, Workington on Thursday, October 3.

Constituents attended the meeting to ask the MP questions on issues that matter to them, with the MP also giving an update as to what he had been doing since becoming elected to office.

Mr MacAlister spoke about some of the things the new Labour government had taken on at a national level, such as settling a number of industrial disputes, the creation of Great British Rail and Great British Energy.

The new MP also highlighted some of his own actions since being elected, announcing that he had recruited a team of staff to his office, and will shortly be announcing where his constituency office will be based.

Since his election, Mr MacAlister's team have already dealt with 1,500 pieces of case work, he said, and taken part in meetings with both industry and government ministers around bringing new nuclear into west Cumbria.

But it was clear that their was one topic of conversation crucial to people who had attended the meeting, with healthcare dominating most of the conversation.

One attendee spoke about the difficulties they had faced with accessing healthcare in Workington, highlighting that he had been waiting 22 weeks for access to a physio - after being referred to the service by his doctor.

Another man talked about the lack of aftercare within the NHS, with attendees widely agreeing that there was a 'major problem' in accessing GP services across Workington and west Cumbria as a whole.

The new MP admitted that he had heard problems such as these 'all of the time' - but said there would be no quick fix and that it would take time for the government to 'undo the many problems' that have been created in the health service.

Following the meeting Mr MacAlister said: “I’d like to thank everyone who came to the first of my monthly public meetings.

"I promised to be visible and accessible and I’m keeping those promises.

"Through a regular programme of street surgeries, drop-in surgeries and public meetings people can hear from me, ask me questions or seek my help.

“I would encourage people to sign up to come along to future meetings on my website at joshmacalister.uk/meetjosh.”