Contributions
2,308 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDNHS Winter PressuresThe hon. Lady is right to highlight mental health, which is an extremely important part of the wider health landscape. That is why the Government are increasing funding for mental…09 Jan 2023HANSARDNHS Winter PressuresI have seen a lot of speculation in the media about the excess mortality to which the hon. Lady refers. I have discussed the issue in detail with both the chief medical officer…09 Jan 2023HANSARDNHS Winter PressuresThe measures announced today speak to the heart of that issue: by putting in more capacity to decompress emergency departments, we allow, in particular, more same-day emergency…09 Jan 2023HANSARDNHS Winter PressuresI am very happy to give that assurance to my hon. Friend, but it is important to see the measures in the context of the autumn statement and the announcements that were made…09 Jan 2023HANSARDNHS Winter PressuresI recognised the hon. Lady’s second point at the start of my statement. On the wider point around those specific very troubling cases, one purpose behind integrated care systems…09 Jan 2023HANSARDNHS Winter PressuresOn delayed discharge, the key is having domiciliary care support. That is not about the NHS Agenda for Change contract; it is about funding for those in the social care sector.…09 Jan 2023HANSARDNHS Winter PressuresThat is a fair challenge. Let me divide it into three sections. First, there is a recognition that the combination of the legacy from the pandemic, the ongoing covid issues and,…09 Jan 2023HANSARDNHS Winter PressuresMy right hon. Friend is absolutely right. That is where virtual wards have potential significant benefits in both demand management—avoiding elderly, frail patients coming to…09 Jan 2023HANSARDNHS Winter PressuresMy hon. Friend raises an important issue about getting flow into the system, not least because delays in ambulance handovers lead to the highest risk in what is a whole-of-system…09 Jan 2023HANSARDNHS Winter PressuresFirst, I am very happy to write to my right hon. Friend with further details. For the benefit of the House, in relation to the £500 million announced in the autumn statement,…09 Jan 2023HANSARDNHS Winter PressuresIn terms of what is different, there is the block booking that will enable residential care to put the workforce in place and release the delayed discharge of the 13,000 patients…09 Jan 2023HANSARDNHS Winter PressuresMy hon. Friend is right. That is why, in the run-up to Christmas, one of the ministerial priorities was to have a whole series of ministerial meetings with the chairs and chief…09 Jan 2023HANSARDNHS Winter PressuresThat simply is not accurate. Let me give the hon. Lady some specific examples. Under the auxiliary contract with St John Ambulance, we invested an extra £150 million in the…09 Jan 2023HANSARDNHS Winter PressuresThe hon. Gentleman seems to be quoting Onay Kasab, the lead national officer of Unite, who spoke to Sky News outside the Department of Health and Social Care just a few minutes…09 Jan 2023HANSARDNHS Winter PressuresAs we have said previously, we have a process, through the independent pay review body, to look at these issues in the round and, when it comes to the needs of our NHS—my focus,…09 Jan 2023HANSARDNHS Winter PressuresI share the hon. Lady’s desire to reduce the backlog in the electives programme, which is why the Government have invested a further £8 billion. To ensure that it delivers value…09 Jan 2023HANSARDNHS Winter PressuresMy hon. Friend is absolutely right to highlight the importance of diagnostic centres, which we have particularly prioritised. As she knows, I am extremely keen to accelerate the…09 Jan 2023HANSARDNHS Winter PressuresI agree that a combination of pay and wider conditions have an impact on recruitment and retention. That is why we have been keen to engage constructively with the trade unions;…09 Jan 2023HANSARDNHS Winter PressuresAs befits the leader of his own county council, my hon. Friend rightly recognises the importance of the integration of health and care. I have pointed to examples where that is…09 Jan 2023HANSARDModerna Strategic PartnershipThe covid-19 pandemic has shown the importance of having the ability to develop and deploy vaccines rapidly to respond to a health emergency, as well as to mitigate the potential…09 Jan 2023