Someone recently told me a fact that stuck with me, like those facts that you need to check out and see it's actually true, and this one is. Here is the source before I start. Nearly one in five unemployed people turned down a job or decided not to apply for a job due to problems with transport. With all things like this, health is the golden thread within everything, and transport is an enabler to many things, this is why I’m pretty determined to make this survey a success and get as full a picture as possible. To make things better, we need to seek first to understand. I believe that a well-paid job gives people the freedom to live in a good home, see friends, have a happier and better-quality life and make better and healthier decisions.

Now, the challenges the new Government faces require a mix of things that can be done immediately and things that will require longer-term development. Unlike previous governments, they are taking a mission-led approach and one of these missions is focused on the NHS. With that in mind, at Midlands Connect we are now looking at the evidence we have and what impact our proposals could have on improving health with schemes like the Midlands Rail Hub or bringing in a direct rail link between Coventry, Leicester and Nottingham.

As part of the project, we have created two surveys and we are urging people to get involved one for patients which can be found here and another for staff here.

Midlands Connect believes that providing reliable, affordable and accessible transport for key workers is essential to enabling critical institutions like the NHS to operate efficiently and successfully. Making the most of our rail network within the wider transport network will also help reduce emissions, which benefits public health.

We’ve also written to hospitals and GP practices, asking them to get involved and let us know how many appointments have been impacted by cancellations over recent years; and what admissions they have seen due to things like COPD and air quality so we can get a real handle on the impacts of health and transport.

I believe that transport offers a route to better health and an integrated transport system that is easily accessible, reliable and affordable contributes to life satisfaction and wellbeing in multiple ways. It enables access to work, friends and family, as well as health-supporting facilities such as schools, colleges, parks, libraries and healthcare centres.

So please do get involved in this survey and share with friends and colleagues and share your stories and insights with us. We really welcome it and thank you! 

Paul Butters is the Director of Stakeholder Engagement and Communications at Midlands Connect.