AFTER the initial excitement of arriving at Westminster it has been hard work for my secretary and myself coping with masses of correspondence punctuated by periods of high adrenalin flow waiting to be called to speak.

The Queen's Speech with the pageantry, was a little disappointing as from my viewpoint I could only see the tip of her crown, and heard very little. However, the main message was about improvements in education, health and policing - all very welcome but extremely hard to fulfil.

One of my main functions will be following the success or failure of implementation of these plans.

Debates on the content of the Queen's Speech followed for several days. The first day covered health and I applied to make my Maiden Speech. This meant sitting on tenterhooks for many hours waiting to be called.

Eventually I was summoned to Mr Speaker's chair, to be told I would not be called that day after all.

This delay gave me an excellent chance to observe and gain confidence in moving around the Chamber to whisper in Mr Speaker's ear for advice or instructions.

Returning to London after the weekend I was called for my Maiden Speech on Tuesday after a relatively short wait.

It was punctuated by somebody's mobile phone ringing. This is a heinous crime in the Chamber and stimulated an immediate rebuke from Mr Speaker. Unfortunately the new boy did not sit down quickly enough so I also was on the receiving end of Mr Speaker's tongue.

There are exciting plans at Westminster already for the formation of an all-party group of MPs to investigate and work for local hospitals.

At home I am planning meetings with local consultants and GPs. I have had a friendly letter from Yvette Cooper MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State with responsibility for the West Midlands, informing me of the chairman of the planned independent inquiry into elective surgery at Kidderminster.

Plans for a constituency office are nearly complete and from Monday I will be contactable by telephone or fax on 01562 753333. The office will be very convenient to the hospital and requests for appointments for my surgeries should be made using this number.

If it is not manned, an answering machine will be cleared regularly. Please address all correspondence to me at the House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA.