"I am very pleased to have this morning received a letter from Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust to inform me that work on the Solihull Urgent Care Centre at Solihull hospital is finally due to start.
"This is very welcome news, as this new facility will provide better and more accessible emergency healthcare access to the community.
"However, I still share the disappointment of many residents that we have had to wait so long for this project to get off the ground. Whilst we must never forget the very valuable work done by those who work at the current walk-in centre, there is no denying that the Urgent Care Centre is long overdue.
"Today’s announcement is just a step in the right direction, and I intend to continue working around the clock to make sure that the hospital bosses deliver on their promises.
"Since 2013 I have been campaigning to make sure our town gets the healthcare it deserves. I have organised protests and petitions to make sure that the voice of Solihull residents is heard loud and clear, as well as directly making our case to ministers and the Secretary of State for Health in Westminster.
"I was also in close contact with Monitor, the NHS regulator, and University Hospitals Birmingham Foundation Trust when the latter’s board began managing Heart of England last year.
"After today’s announcement I will keep up the pressure to make sure that we get the Urgent Care Centre we need. I will be watching to make sure that there is as little disruption to services as possible, but if you or anybody you know experience disruption please let me know."