July 2026

Monthly Resident Update

Hi Reader

News from Vikki Slade MP – July 2026

July has been a busy and rewarding month, connecting with communities across the constituency and continuing to champion issues both in Westminster and here at home.

Parliament rose for the Summer Recess on July 16th and will return in September. While Westminster may be quieter over the summer, my work as your MP continues. I'm spending the recess out and about across the constituency on my Summer Village Tour, visiting communities, listening to residents and learning more about the issues that matter most to you.

Whether helping constituents through casework, or campaigning on the challenges facing our area such as the NHS Dentistry crisis, I am constantly motivated by the people who make Mid Dorset and North Poole such a wonderful place to live.

This newsletter highlights some of the activities and issues I have been working on during July, both before Parliament rose and throughout the first weeks of recess.

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to get in touch. Your experiences, ideas and concerns help shape the work I do every day, and I look forward to meeting many more of you over the remaining weeks of the summer.

Why not follow me on my socials?

​Facebook | Instagram | BlueSky​

In this edition:

• Launched my Dentistry Petition
• Campaigned for Young Carers
• Set off on my Summer Village Tour
• Fought for justice for the Chinook families
• Held an event on Barbering, Hairdressing and the Highstreet

Launched my Dentistry Petition

This summer, I’ve launched a petition as part of my campaign to tackle the NHS Dentistry crisis.
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In Dorset alone, over £17 million has reportedly gone unspent or been removed from a supposedly ringfenced dentistry budget since 2024 while patients face worsening access to care, fewer urgent appointments, and growing waiting lists.

Access to NHS dentistry is one of the biggest concerns raised with me by local residents. In my 2025 Health Survey, it was among the top issues highlighted, reflecting a growing crisis in this area.

The root of the problem is a broken NHS dental contract that does not properly fund treatment, making it increasingly difficult for practices to provide NHS care.

As costs rise, whilst the payments for treatments stalls, more dentists are reducing their NHS work or leaving the service altogether, while millions of pounds allocated for local dentistry have gone unspent or been redirected elsewhere. Without urgent reform, many people fear that NHS dentistry will not survive.

My petition calls on the Government to change the rules so that NHS Dorset is required to use the full budget for dentistry on dental services and to deliver the long-overdue contract reforms needed to restore access to NHS dentistry for local people.

You can sign the petition by clicking here to help me put pressure on both the Government and NHS Dorset to fix NHS dentistry. It will be presented in the House of Commons in the autumn.

Campaigned for Young Carers

Young Carers are hidden heroes and we must do much more to protect their wellbeing and ensure they have both a childhood and a bright future.

Currently, it is a postcode lottery as to whether a child who has caring responsibilities will cross paths with someone who has been trained to support them and advocate for their needs.

I was honoured to support the launch of the pioneering Equity for Young Carers project by MY TIME Young Carers last month in central London where I was asked to share our ambition for a Young Carers Champion with their patrons, and with other young carers organisations.

Young carers make extraordinary contributions to their families and communities, yet far too many still face unequal access to the support they need, and it’s simply not good enough.

My petition for Young Carers Champions calls for support to be embedded in every school across the UK and I have also prepared a Bill which I hope to lay in Parliament when we return in September.

Please sign the petition here: Petition · Appoint a Young Carers Champion in every School in England - United Kingdom · Change.org​

Set off on my Summer Village Tour

This month I went on the road for the first five days of my Summer Village Tour, visiting ten different communities across Mid Dorset and North Poole from Holt to Stoborough. I believe MPs should be visible, accessible and rooted in the communities they serve. That's why every summer recess I prioritise spending dedicated time in each community, to hear directly from residents on the issues that they care about the most and exploring every corner of this beautiful constituency.

I love to speak with people about the issues that affect their daily lives, whether that's a local concern, or an idea for making the area even better. So far, I've really enjoyed discussing a wide range of issues from rural bus connectivity and my disposable BBQ ban to proposed local planning developments and road safety. Residents have also been keen to share their thoughts – and hear my views – on our new Prime Minister.

I will be spending the last week of the summer break on the tour again and I look forward to seeing familiar faces and meeting new ones along the way. If you'd like to come along for a chat, keep an eye on my social media for more info or register your interest here and you'll be emailed with the exact time and location the day before.

Fought for justice for the Chinook families

Many people will remember the tragic Chinook crash in 1994 that killed 29 people in the Mull of Kintyre. One affected family lives in Mid Dorset and North Poole and I have been supporting them since I was elected

Last month, I spoke in the House of Commons Chamber to welcome the Hillsborough Law, officially titled the Public Office (Accountability) Bill, which will put a new legal duty of candour on public officials to tell the truth to inquiries and investigations. It will also introduce parity of representation for bereaved families at inquests.
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While the proposed law received its title in reference to the Hillsborough disaster in 1989, it provides protection for many other groups who have been affected by scandals or disasters but appeared not to include the families of those killed in the Chinook tragedy including the family of Major Anthony Hornby MBE.
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I was grateful to have been given assurance directly from (the then incoming) Prime Minister Andy Burnham that the families would be listened to.

I have since written to the new Prime Minister and the Victims' Minister to ensure the victims of the Chinook disaster are afforded their rights under the Duty of Candour, and will continue to seek justice on their behalf.

Watch me speak in Parliament here​

Held an event on Barbering, Hairdressing and the Highstreet

I was delighted to host a special event in Parliament with Mike and Emily Taylor of Bonds Barbers alongside the British Hair Consortium.

The event provided an opportunity to discuss the challenges facing the hair and barbering industry today, including a lack of regulation, the VAT cliff edge which is driving the black market, issues relating to apprentice training and the importance of investing in the next generation of skilled barbers.

It was also fantastic to meet and talk to two recently qualified apprentices, including Rufus who I have known since primary school.
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My fellow MPs also had the opportunity to meet several apprentices and discuss the challenges they are facing, as well as how the current environment is negatively impacting their future prospects in the industry.

On our return to Westminster I will continue to champion the issues we discussed and seek improvements in vocational training, tax reform and regulation.

Out & About in MDNP

Spending time with residents and local organisations is always one of the best parts of this role. Recent highlights include:

Resident Surgeries - I held advice surgeries in Wareham and Wimborne, to help residents with a range of issues including rural crime, new planning developments and child maintenance.

School Visits - I joined Canford Heath Junior School for an online Q&A with Year 4 children to discuss their concerns about and ideas to fix beach littering and water pollution. I will be replying to their letters over the remaining weeks of summer.

Bovington Military Wives Choir at Bloxworth Church - I attended a wonderful night of music, poetry and community spirit that raised funds for the beautiful village church. Thank you to everyone who came along, and to the performers for a moving evening.

Canford Incinerator - I spoke out in Parliament and argued that approving new incinerators without understanding their long-term health and environmental impact is the wrong approach. The outcome of the planning appeal should be known in the coming weeks.

Round-up of some of my other activities