Health and Social Care Ministers were answering questions in the
Commons. Subjects covered included... Access to Social Care
Supporting People with Mental Health Problems National
Diabetes Audit: Mental Health NHS Bursaries Perinatal
Mental Health Rural and Urban Communities: Health and Care
Needs NHS Dentistry: Funding Distribution GP...Request free trial
Health and Social Care Ministers were answering questions in the
Commons. Subjects covered included...
To read any of these in greater detail, click on the links, or see
below.
Access to Social Care
-
(Ilford South)
(Lab/Co-op)
1. What steps he is taking to improve access to social care
for people living with unmet social care needs. [905157]
-
The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Mr
Jeremy Hunt)
The health and social care systems are inextricably linked,
which is why we need to improve access to the social care
system, and we will be setting out plans to do so in a
Green Paper.
-
Age UK says that 1.2 million older people have unmet social
care needs. Is it not time that we thought about
integration in a practical way, and where we have acute
hospitals with land next to them, such as King George
Hospital in my constituency, we start to build sheltered
accommodation or intermediate care on those sites so that
people can easily be transferred into and out of the beds,
freeing them up for other people who need them?
-
Mr Hunt
That is a wise suggestion, and it is exactly the direction
of our thinking in the social care Green Paper, which will
have a significant chapter on housing. Integration is not
just about integrating health and social care; it is also
about other services offered by local authorities. I
commend, too, the hon. Gentleman’s local authority of
Redbridge: it is No. 1 in the country for user satisfaction
with the social care system and No. 4 for carer
satisfaction.
-
(Totnes) (Con)
One of the most pressing issues for those who depend on
social care is resolution of the back-pay issue for
sleep-in shifts. Will the Secretary of State update the
House with his own estimate of the liability? The
independent sector puts this liability collectively at
around £400 million. Will he also update us on the progress
being made, because he will know that many sectors are
handing back their contracts and withdrawing?
-
Mr Hunt
I thank my hon. Friend for raising this serious issue, and
I can reassure her that a lot of work has been going on
inside the Government to work out how to resolve the issue.
A court case is due that may have a material impact on
those numbers, but we are continuing to work very hard and
fully understand the fragility of the current market
situation.
-
(Crewe and Nantwich)
(Lab)
In December, the health survey for England revealed that
older people in more deprived areas are twice as likely as
average to have unmet social care needs. Is this not yet
another example of Tory cuts reducing councils’ abilities
to meet the requirements of people with care needs?
-
Mr Hunt
I welcome the question, but let me also gently tell the
hon. Lady what the actual story is with respect to cuts.
Yes, the social care budget was cut after the 2008
financial recession, but she may remember that a different
party was in power when that happened. Under this Prime
Minister, those cuts have been reversed and the social care
budget is going up by £9.4 billion in this spending review
period.
-
(Hornchurch and
Upminster) (Con)
Inadequate social and primary care provision lies at the
root of a great deal of pressure on hospital A&Es, so
we need to plan much better for the demand for services at
that level. Will the Secretary of State press the Treasury
to ensure that receipts from NHS property transactions are
retained by local healthcare trusts, so that they can build
much larger primary care facilities than those currently
planned?
-
Mr Hunt
My hon. Friend makes an important point: unless we make it
easier for trusts to retain the receipts of property
transactions, they will be likely to sit on these
properties and we will not get the positive ideas such as
that suggested earlier by the hon. Member for Ilford South
(Mike Gapes), so we do need to find a way to make sure that
local areas benefit when they do these deals.
-
(Worsley and Eccles
South) (Lab)
The Alzheimer’s Society estimates that at least 10,000
people with dementia have been stuck in hospital in the
last year despite being ready to leave, and many of the
delays were caused by a lack of care in the community for
them. There can be no more disorientating thing for a
person with dementia than being stuck in hospital when they
do not need to be there. So with dementia awareness week
approaching, is it not time for the Secretary of State to
meet the social care needs of people with dementia fully by
meeting the funding gap for social care in this Parliament?
-
Mr Hunt
Let me explain what is happening on that front. In the
first five years after 2010, social care funding went down
by 1.3% a year—we had a terrible financial crisis that we
were trying to deal with—but since then, in the current
spending review period, it is going up by 2.2% a year,
which is an 8% real-terms increase over this spending
review period. I completely agree with the hon. Lady that
we need to do a much better job. [Interruption.] Opposition
Members talk from a sedentary position about priorities;
our priority has been to get this economy on its feet so
that we can put more money into the NHS and social care
system, and that is what will continue to happen under a
Conservative Government.
Supporting People with Mental Health Problems
-
Dr (East Kilbride,
Strathaven and Lesmahagow) (SNP)
2. What role his Department has in supporting people with
mental health problems to access help in relation to
housing, debt and employment. [R] [905159]
-
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and
Social Care (Jackie Doyle-Price)
The Department is working with the NHS and across the
Government to increase the support available for people
with mental illness and on related issues. This includes
investing £39 million to double the number of employment
advisers in IAPT—increasing access to psychological
therapy—as well as reviewing the practice of GPs charging
for evidence of patients in debt crisis and the
introduction of a duty under the Homelessness Reduction Act
2017 for the NHS to refer people at risk of homelessness to
the local authority.
-
Dr Cameron
A quarter of people experiencing mental health problems are
also in problem debt, and eight out of 10 mental health
practitioners surveyed have said that they have less time
to deliver clinical care because they are being asked to
assist with the task of writing up debt management plans.
Does the Minister agree that to ensure the best chance of
recovery, commissioning groups require to integrate advice
alongside mental health care, particularly for those in
problem debt?
-
The hon. Lady makes a sensible point. Of course it is true
that people’s personal circumstances are a symptom and a
cause of mental ill health. We are doing more to enable
those delivering mental health services to signpost people
with problem debt to appropriate services. Clearly, that
becomes easier where those services are co-located with
citizens advice bureaux. In addition, the Breathing Space
programme aims to provide a break for people with debt. I
recognise, however, that this is a serious problem and that
debt problems will cause mental illness.
-
(North West
Leicestershire) (Con)
Will the Minister explain to the House how the Thriving at
Work programme will play a role in improving public mental
health as well as benefiting our working lives?
-
I thank my hon. Friend for his question. It is very much
this Government’s view that work is good for people’s
health, and the more we can encourage people to live
independently and feel in control of their lives, the
better their health outcomes will be. We absolutely stand
by the Thriving at Work programme.
-
Sir (Twickenham) (LD)
Is the Minister aware of the growing incidence of mental
illness associated with gambling addiction and of the rapid
rise in suicides as a consequence? Will she try to ensure
that there is adequate psychiatric capacity within the NHS,
and will she liaise with her colleagues in the Department
for Digital, Culture Media and Sport on preventive action?
-
The right hon. Gentleman rightly identifies problem
gambling as another important contributory factor to mental
ill health. When it gets out of hand, it can lead to
considerable stress. We will of course work with the
Department for Digital, Culture Media and Sport to ensure
that we have the right regulatory processes in place, as
well as ensuring that we are giving support to those who
need it.
-
(Congleton)
(Con)
Does the Minister agree that, when children and young
people have mental health challenges, it is important
wherever possible to engage with their families to help
them to overcome them?
-
What my hon. Friend says is self-evidently true. We are
putting in more help in schools through the Green Paper,
but we also need to ensure that we are engaged with
families much earlier than that. We have the health visitor
programme, and those visits help to build relationships
with parents. We have also taken action on specific issues,
including the initiative relating to the children of
alcoholics. We will continue to focus support where it is
needed.
-
Several hon. Members rose—
-
Mr Speaker
Order. It is very good to welcome back to the Chamber the
right hon. Member for Leicester East (Keith Vaz).
National Diabetes Audit: Mental Health
-
(Leicester East)
(Lab)
3. Whether he plans to include information on mental health
in the national diabetes audit. [905160]
-
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and
Social Care (Jackie Doyle-Price)
People with long-term health conditions such as diabetes
are at a higher risk of mental health disorders, and we are
determined to improve co-ordination between services. That
is why the national diabetes audit has started collecting
information from GP practices on people who have both
diabetes and severe mental ill health.
-
I should like to declare my interest. As the Minister
knows, three out of five people with diabetes suffer from
emotional and psychological problems, including depression
and anxiety. A survey recently showed that 76% of diabetics
were offered no emotional or mental health support. Will
she look at the excellent work that is being done by the
NHS in Grampian in Scotland, to see whether its programme
could be rolled out for the rest of the country?
-
I would be delighted to look at the progress being made in
Grampian, and we are always keen to learn from the
experiences of other nations. The right hon. Gentleman
makes an excellent point: people with long-term physical
conditions are more likely to suffer from mental ill
health. As for NHS spending, at least £1 in every eight
that is spent on long-term conditions is linked to poor
mental health and wellbeing spend. We have also produced a
pathway for people with long-term physical health
conditions to deliver more effective IAPT—increasing access
to psychological therapy—services for them. However, we can
always continue to learn about this subject.
-
(South West
Bedfordshire) (Con)
Obese adults are seven times more likely to have type 2
diabetes and the associated mental health problems that go
with it. Is my hon. Friend that 140,000 obese children
would qualify for adult tier 4 bariatric surgery, but there
is little available? Should the NHS be fortunate enough to
get some well-deserved extra money for its 70th
anniversary, may I put in a bid for that area to be
considered?
-
My hon. Friend is right that once children become obese
they are going to become obese adults, with all the health
problems that come with that. I do not want to steal the
thunder of the Under-Secretary of State for Health and
Social Care, my hon. Friend the Member for Winchester
(Steve Brine), but rest assured that we will examine what
more we can do to tackle obesity in children.
-
(Strangford) (DUP)
I declare an interest as a type 2 diabetic. Bearing in mind
that three out of five people with diabetes have mental
health issues, will the Minister outline what support
services GPs should be able to offer at the first diagnosis
of diabetes? Early diagnosis is key.
-
I could not agree more. We need GPs to understand that they
must consider a patient’s needs as a whole, not just the
condition that is presented at the time, and that message
has been sitting behind the guidance that we have been
issuing to GPs on how they manage patients with long-term
health conditions.
NHS Bursaries
-
(Sheffield,
Brightside and Hillsborough) (Lab)
4. What assessment he has made of the effect of the
withdrawal of NHS bursaries on applications for nursing
degrees. [905161]
-
(Walthamstow)
(Lab/Co-op)
5. What assessment he has made of the effect of the
withdrawal of NHS bursaries on applications for nursing
degrees. [905162]
-
(Easington)
(Lab)
10. What assessment he has made of the effect of the
withdrawal of NHS bursaries on applications for nursing
degrees. [905167]
-
The Minister for Health (Stephen Barclay)
Nursing remains a strong career choice, with more than
22,500 students placed during the 2017 UCAS application
cycle. Demand for nursing places continues to outstrip the
available training places.
-
Figures from the Royal College of Nursing show that
applications have fallen by 33% since the withdrawal of
bursaries. At the same time, the Government’s Brexit
shambles has led to a drastic decline in EU nursing
applications. How many years of such decline do we have to
see before the Secretary of State and the Minister will
intervene?
-
What matters is not the number of rejected applicants, but
the increase in places—the number of people actually
training to be a nurse. The reality is that 5,000 more
nurses will be training each year up to 2020 as a result of
the changes.
-
The NHS already has 34,000 nursing vacancies. Given that
there has been a 97% drop in nursing applications from the
EU and that studies show that nearly half of all hospital
shifts include agency nurses, will the Minister at least
admit that cutting the bursary scheme has been a false
economy for our NHS?
-
It is not a false economy to increase the supply of nurses,
which is what the changes have done. Indeed, they form part
of a wider package of measures, including “Agenda for
Change”, pay rises and the return to practice scheme, which
has seen 4,355 starters returning to the profession. More
and more nurses are being trained, which is why we now have
over 13,000 more nurses than in 2010.
-
I respectfully remind the Minister that this is about
recruitment and retention. The RCN says that we can train a
postgraduate nurse within 18 months, which is a significant
untapped resource, so why are the Government planning to
withdraw support from postgraduate nurses training, too?
-
We have a debate involving postgraduate nursing tomorrow,
but the intention is to increase the number of such nurses
by removing the current cap, which means that many who want
to apply for postgraduate courses cannot find the clinical
places to do so. That is the nature of tomorrow’s debate,
and I look forward to seeing the hon. Gentleman in the
Chamber.
-
(Harlow) (Con)
Will my hon. Friend, on top of the degree nursing
apprenticeships, rapidly increase the nursing
apprenticeship programme so nurses can earn while they
learn, have no debt and get a skill that they and our
country need?
-
My right hon. Friend is absolutely right to signpost this
as one of a suite of ways to increase the number of nurses
in the profession. As he alludes to, there will be 5,000
nursing apprenticeships this year, and we are expanding the
programme, with 7,500 starting next year.
-
(Cheltenham) (Con)
This weekend, I had to take a poorly member of my family to
Cheltenham General Hospital, and the skill, concern and
good humour of the emergency nurse practitioners were
fantastic. Will my hon. Friend join me in paying tribute to
Cheltenham’s emergency nurse practitioners? Does he agree
that we should be doing everything possible, through their
pay scales, to reward and retain them?
-
I am very happy to join my hon. Friend in paying tribute to
the nurses at Cheltenham, and elsewhere, for the work they
do. As he says, that is exactly why this Government, with
the support of the Treasury, have backed nurses with a big
pay rise in the “Agenda for Change” programme.
-
(Eastbourne) (LD)
With every reputable independent body showing very clearly
that we have a staffing crisis in the NHS nursing
profession, can the Minister explain how cutting bursaries
actually improves the situation?
-
I am very happy to do so. We are removing the cap on the
number of places covered by the bursaries and increasing
the number of student places by 25%, which means that there
will be 5,000 more nurses in training as a result of these
changes.
-
Dr (Central Ayrshire)
(SNP)
The Secretary of State’s removal of the nursing bursary and
introduction of tuition fees have resulted in a 33% drop in
applications in England. In Scotland, we have kept the
bursary, a carer’s allowance and free tuition, which means
that student nurses are up to £18,000 a year better off,
and indeed they also earn more once they graduate. Does the
Minister recognise that that is why applications in
Scotland have remained stable while in England they have
dropped by a third?
-
The hon. Lady speaks with great authority on health
matters, but, again, she misses the distinction between the
number of applicants and the number of nurses in training.
It is about how many places are available, and we are
increasing by 25% the number of nurses in training. That is
what will address the supply and address some of the
vacancies in the profession.
-
Dr Whitford
Workforce is a challenge for all four national health
services across the UK, but, according to NHS Improvement,
there are 36,000 nursing vacancies in England, more than
twice the rate in Scotland. The Minister claims that more
nurse students are training, but in fact there were 700
fewer in training in England last year, compared with an 8%
increase in Scotland. The key difference is that in
Scotland we are supporting the finances of student nurses,
so will the Government accept that removing the nursing
bursary was a mistake and reintroduce it?
-
The distinction the hon. Lady fails to make is that in
England we are increasing the number of nurses in training
by 25%; we are ensuring that nurses who have left the
profession can return through the return-to-work programme;
and we are introducing significant additional pay through
“Agenda for Change”. As my right hon. Friend the Member for
Harlow (Robert Halfon) said, we are also creating new
routes so that those who come into the NHS through other
routes, such as by joining as a healthcare assistant, are
not trapped in those roles but are able to progress,
because the Conservative party backs people who want to
progress in their careers. Healthcare assistants who want
to progress into nursing should have that opportunity.
-
(Ellesmere Port and
Neston) (Lab)
When defending the decision to scrap bursaries, the
Secretary of State said that, if done right, it could
provide up to 20,000 extra nursing posts by 2020. Well,
that figure now looks wildly optimistic, with applications
down two years in a row. Is it not time that Ministers
admitted they have got this one wrong and joined the
Opposition in the Lobby tomorrow to vote against any
further extensions to this failed policy?
-
If Members vote against the policy tomorrow, the reality is
that they will be voting for a cap on the number of
postgraduate nurses going into the system, and therefore
they will be saying that more people should be
rejected—more people should lose the opportunity to become
nurses—because they want to have a cap that restricts the
supply of teaching places.
Perinatal Mental Health
-
(Darlington)
(Lab)
7. What support GPs provide to mothers experiencing
perinatal mental health problems. [905164]
-
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and
Social Care (Jackie Doyle-Price)
We are committed to improving mental health support for
expectant and new mothers, and GPs are crucial to that. We
recognise that specialist services are also required, and I
am proud to announce today that NHS England will be
spending £23 million on rolling out the second wave of
community perinatal services to underserved parts of the
country and is on course to achieve full geographic
coverage by 2020-21.
-
(Darlington)
(Lab)
Given that 95% of mums surveyed by the NCT said that they
had experienced mental health problems, that only 22% said
they were even asked about this by their GP and that only
24% of the country has any specialist provision, what more
does the Minister think she ought to be doing?
-
The second wave roll-out will cover the entire geographical
spread of the country. This is a transformational
programme, so, by definition, it will take time to roll
out, but I agree with the hon. Lady that GPs do have a role
to play in this. The National Institute for Health and Care
Excellence recommends postnatal checks for mothers, and NHS
England expects commissioners to undertake that those
guidelines are being met. As for any further support by
GPs, she will be aware that there is a renegotiation of the
GP contract and it will be covered there.
-
Several hon. Members rose—
-
Mr Speaker
Some young people are mothers and do have mental health
problems, upon which important matter the hon. Member for
Faversham and Mid Kent (Helen Whately) has Question 19,
which, sadly, will not be reached. If she wishes to give
the House the benefit of her thoughts now, she is most
welcome to do so, but it is not obligatory. [Interruption.]
We will get her in later.
-
(Bath) (LD)
Given that children of mothers with perinatal health
problems are at much higher risk of developing mental
health problems themselves, why does the Government’s Green
Paper on mental health not address prevention in respect of
perinatal health?
-
As I have said before, the proposals in the Green Paper on
children and young people’s mental health were very much
focused on what we were going to be delivering through
schools. Alongside that, we have a very ambitious programme
on perinatal mental health, where we are spending an extra
£365 million on delivering both acute care and more support
in the community. Today, I have just announced the second
wave of that funding.
-
(Liverpool, Wavertree)
(Lab/Co-op)
Back in 2010, we had 19 mother and baby units across this
country, but cuts to those beds resulted in our then having
15 mother and baby units. Back in November 2016, the
Government said we were going to see more beds opened. I
listened closely to the statement the Minister has just
made, but we are still waiting for beds that were announced
back in November 2016. What are her Government going to do
to ensure that mothers and babies will be kept together and
can access the beds they desperately need?
-
I do not accept what the hon. Lady is saying. We are
investing in new mother and baby units and making sure we
have sufficiently good provision geographically so that
mothers and babies can access them. We are also investing
in more support in the community. I am pleased that the
programme we are delivering, which is £365 million of
additional support, will deliver early intervention for
young mothers and babies.
Rural and Urban Communities: Health and Care Needs
-
(Newton Abbot)
(Con)
8. Whether he has made a comparative assessment of the
health and social care needs of rural and urban
communities. [905165]
-
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and
Social Care (Jackie Doyle-Price)
The diverse health and social care needs of local
communities are considered in this Government’s policy and
implementation. We are actively supporting local areas,
including through Public Health England’s joint work with
the Local Government Association, providing evidence-based
recommendations to tackle the different needs of rural
communities.
-
Would the Minister find it helpful to ask the national
centre for rural health and care, shortly to be launched,
to identify the specific challenges facing the providers of
health and care in rural areas?
-
The centre has already engaged with stakeholders to
identify the issues and responses to the challenge of
providing health and care in rural settings. The centre
will focus on four areas—data; research; technology; and
workforce and learning—and will work with partners to
identify, scale up and promote the adoption of its
activities across the public and private health sector to
reduce health inequalities and improve the quality of life
for all rural people.
-
Mr (Huddersfield)
(Lab/Co-op)
If the ministerial team want to learn about the comparison
of health outcomes in urban and rural communities, they
should come to Huddersfield, as we have both there. But
what we want in Huddersfield is a great hospital, great GPs
and a supportive community pharmacy network. When are we
going to get them?
-
I will address the point the hon. Gentleman makes about
urban and rural health, as my constituency has the same
situation. Obviously, there are specific challenges with
regard to sparsity of population, which have to be tackled
through the funding formula. The new national centre for
rural health and care will address that.
-
(Boston and Skegness)
(Con)
For people in my rural constituency, the value of services
at Boston’s paediatric unit could not be higher. Does the
Minister agree with me—and with what the Prime Minister
said last Wednesday—that we should leave no stone unturned
when it comes to making sure that we can recruit the
paediatricians we need and sustain the services at Pilgrim
Hospital?
-
I am happy to associate myself with the comments of my hon.
Friend and those of the Prime Minister. We should leave no
stone unturned in making sure that we recruit enough
paediatricians to support the service. I reiterate that
every effort will be made to ensure that that happens.
-
(Glasgow North West)
(SNP)
22. Scotland recruits many health professionals from
overseas, and that is particularly important for the
delivery of healthcare in rural areas. Does the Minister
agree that Scotland needs overseas doctors and nurses? What
representations has she made to the Minister for
Immigration regarding the lifting of the tier 2 visa cap?
[905180]
-
The hon. Lady will understand that the impact on the
workforce is of as much interest to us south of the border
as it is to her. We continue to engage in representations
with colleagues to address such matters.
-
Mr (Kettering)
(Con)
Northamptonshire has both rural and urban communities, but
our biggest pressures are a rapid population increase
because of house building and a big increase in the number
of people who are, thank goodness, living to more than 80
years of age. Will the Minister ensure that those two
issues are addressed in any future funding formula?
-
My hon. Friend is quite right that when we allocate funds
we have to make sure that we keep pace with population
growth among both the early years and the older years,
which is where the demand comes from.
-
Several hon. Members rose—
-
Mr Speaker
I call . No? The hon. Lady is a
most confusing individual.
-
(Lincoln) (Lab)
I wanted to ask a supplementary to the question about
Boston.
-
Mr Speaker
Oh, well, blurt it out.
-
(Lincoln) (Lab)
23. Lincoln’s walk-in centre closed a few weeks ago and
Boston’s paediatric department is threatened with closure.
Does the Minister agree that cuts and privatisation in our
NHS are damaging staff recruitment, retention and morale?
[Interruption.] Ministers can shake their heads, but it is
true: there are not enough doctors at Boston, which affects
A&E and wider care delivery. [905181]
-
I can add no more to what I have already said in answer to
my hon. Friend the Member for Boston and Skegness (Matt
Warman). We will do everything we can to make sure that we
can recruit sufficient paediatricians for that hospital.
-
(Burnley) (Lab)
What plans does the Minister have to increase the role of
community pharmacies in meeting the health needs of rural
and urban communities? In 2016, the Government promised to
develop an extended role for community pharmacies. In
particular, they committed in the House that the national
roll-out of a minor ailments scheme would be implemented by
April 2018. Given that it is now May 2018 and that has not
happened, and that there has been an overall reduction in
services commissioned via community pharmacies in both
rural and urban communities, will the Minister tell the
House when exactly the Government intend to honour their
commitment?
-
The provision of community pharmacies is an important part
of integrated primary care. We will continue to make sure
that we direct sufficient resource to address the
particular challenges caused by rural sparsity. I remind
the hon. Lady of what we have already done: we spent £175
million from the Prime Minister’s challenge fund to
transform GP access, and that is increasing access in areas
such as north Yorkshire, Devon and Cornwall. We will
continue to look into the particular challenges that rural
communities face and make resources available.
NHS Dentistry: Funding Distribution
-
(Bradford East)
(Lab)
9. What guidance his Department provides to NHS England on
the redistribution to other healthcare areas of funding
clawed back from dentists who have not met their contracted
units of dental activity. [905166]
-
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and
Social Care (Steve Brine)
The Department does not issue guidance specifically to NHS
England on the redistribution of funding that is recouped
from dental contracts. Of course, any decisions on the
provision of healthcare are rightly a matter for the local
NHS, because local commissioners are best placed to assess
the dental needs and priorities among their local
population, including the one that the hon. Gentleman
represents in Bradford.
-
People in Bradford cannot get an NHS dentist, child tooth
decay rates are soaring, and people are being admitted to
hospital because they cannot get dental care. It was
announced over the weekend that Bradford will receive an
extra £332,000, which I of course welcome, but between 2014
and 2017, more than £300,000 was taken from dental care
funding in the district. Is it not the case that the new
funding is just a misleading announcement?
-
I think that is what is known as a back-handed welcome. We
have made great progress on improving access to dentistry
in England, but we know that there are parts of the
country, including the hon. Gentleman’s area, in which we
can do more. That is why NHS England in Yorkshire and the
Humber—with which I liaise on matters raised by a number of
Opposition colleagues—is finalising plans to improve access
to dentistry throughout the region, paying particular
attention to 20 areas. Bradford East is one of those areas
and, as the hon. Gentleman said, will shortly receive
additional recouped funding to support his constituents.
-
Dr (Stockton South)
(Lab)
Why are dentists, such as my constituent Peter Sharp in
Thornaby in Stockton South, funded less per unit of dental
activity than his colleagues who are working in more
affluent areas? Surely, to reduce health inequalities, it
should be the other way round?
-
That goes to the heart of why we are reforming the dental
contracts. Our 73 high street dental practices are
continuing to test the preventive focused clinical approach
to a new remuneration practice. [Interruption.] Someone on
the Opposition Front Bench has just said “when” from a
sedentary position. It will be when we have got it right.
-
Mr Speaker
The hon. Member for Tonbridge and Malling (Tom Tugendhat)
has beetled into the Chamber like a perspiring postman just
in time. It is very good to see the fellow.
GP Services: Capacity and Availability
-
(Tonbridge and Malling)
(Con)
11. What steps he is taking to increase the capacity and
availability of GP services. [905169]
-
The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Mr
Jeremy Hunt)
We want all NHS patients to be able to access appointments
in the evenings and at weekends. Thanks to our programme,
40% of the population currently do so, and that will rise
to 100% next October.
-
Forgive me for rushing in; I was tied up with Committee
matters.
My right hon. Friend has set out a great vision for the
national health service over recent years, and I very much
welcome it, but does he agree that, in local areas, some of
the GP provision could do with a little more work? I am
particularly thinking of West Malling in my own
constituency where a large element of the community is
finding it harder to get access, and there is a danger that
the GP surgery may leave the high street.
-
Mr Hunt
My hon. Friend is right to draw attention to that issue. He
does have, I think, 28 more GPs in the west Kent clinical
commissioning group area than in 2010, but there is a
particular issue over premises. The need to invest in
premises is deterring younger GPs from becoming partners,
and sometimes making GP surgeries unviable. We are looking
at that problem now.
-
(Bridgend) (Lab)
So many GP practices—no matter what salaries or what terms
and conditions they offer—are reporting a reluctance by
newly qualified GPs to go into GP practice. What will the
Minister do about the hours of work—the time given to
consult with constituents—to make it easier for people to
see GP practice as a viable opportunity to serve their
community?
-
Mr Hunt
I do very much agree with the hon. Lady, which is why we
are working hard to recruit 5,000 extra GPs into general
practice in England. I gently point out to her that the
Royal College of General Practitioners says that, while we
spend 9.2% of the NHS budget in England on general
practice, it is only 7.3% in Wales.
-
(Bosworth)
(Con)
Has my right hon. Friend had time to consider the recent
Professional Standards Authority report, “Untapped
Resources”, of which the principal recommendation is that
practitioners on PSA-accredited registers should have
powers to make direct NHS referrals, which would reduce the
burden on GP surgeries?
-
Mr Hunt
I always look forward to the multiple interesting ways in
which my hon. Friend returns to the same subject. We are
always open to ideas that reduce pressures on GP surgeries,
and I will look carefully at his latest idea.
-
(Warrington North)
(Lab)
The Secretary of State knows—because I keep telling
him—that Warrington has fewer GPs than its population
warrants. What concrete steps will he take to attract GPs
to areas that are under-doctored?
-
Mr Hunt
Most parts of the country would say that they need more
GPs, which is why we are trying to improve the capacity
across the country. So, what have we done? Well, very
recently we announced six new medical schools, which will
have a specific focus on attracting new students into
general practice. That is one of a number of measures.
Alcohol: Minimum Unit Pricing
-
(Airdrie and Shotts)
(SNP)
12. What recent discussions he has had with Public Health
England on the potential merits of introducing minimum unit
pricing for alcohol in England. [905170]
-
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and
Social Care (Steve Brine)
The Government remain committed to tackling all
alcohol-related harms, which is why we are developing a new
alcohol strategy. As part of that, I am commissioning
Public Health England to undertake a review of the evidence
for minimum unit pricing in England.
-
That is welcome news. The Scottish National party
Government have taken the lead in this matter by taking the
bold step to set a minimum unit price for alcohol as part
of wider interventions to help tackle excessive
consumption. In particular, they want to end the days of
strong white ciders being sold at pocket money prices. The
British Medical Association has long called for that, so at
what stage will we learn of further progress in the
Government’s thinking?
-
The previous consultation in 2013 found that the evidence,
as it stood at the time, was not entirely conclusive. That
is still the case, which is why the Government intend to
keep the policy under review. Many times in this Chamber we
are given the benefit of experience north of the border as
to whether a policy has been a success, but it is not
always strictly spot on. Given that the policy only came in
last week, it is probably premature to say that it is a
success, but we will welcome the opportunity to see the
evidence emerge from Scotland’s implementation of minimum
unit pricing, and we will be watching very closely.
-
(Keighley) (Lab)
Does the Minister agree that it is significant that major
pub companies and brewers such as Greene King, Coors and
Tennent’s now support minimum pricing, and that what is
good for the nation’s health is good for the nation’s pubs
and the promotion of sensible drinking?
-
We want to get on and tackle all avoidable harms, including
alcohol. The vast majority of our constituents enjoy a
drink and have a healthy relationship with alcohol, but
that is not the case for everybody. Some people can harm
themselves, society and, as we have heard, their children.
What is happening north of the border in Scotland is very
welcome. I think that there will be an early evaluation
there at the one-year point, and we will be watching that
like a hawk.
Obesity
-
(Banbury)
(Con)
13. What steps the Government are taking to tackle obesity.
[905171]
-
The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Mr
Jeremy Hunt)
Childhood obesity is one of the biggest public health
challenges we face, which is why we are committed to
reducing the sugar in products consumed by children by 20%
over four years.
-
I recently met my constituent, Professor John Wass, at an
Obesity Health Alliance tea, where—the Secretary of State
will be pleased to know—no cake was served. Professor Wass
shares my concerns about the availability of hospital
services for those with established obesity. Will my right
hon. Friend set out what plans his Department has to treat
those who are already obese?
-
Mr Hunt
We recognise the value of bariatric surgery, which is of
course subject to the normal waiting time standards for
those for whom it is appropriate. However, prevention is
better than cure. That is why we are hoping to bring
forward shortly further measures to tackle childhood
obesity, which is one of our biggest concerns.
-
(York Central)
(Lab/Co-op)
Obesity related hospital admissions in York have more than
doubled in the last three years. As part of NHS70, we in
York are launching a city-wide public health initiative to
ensure that we address issues around obesity, diet and
exercise. Will the Secretary of State support such work and
ensure that we get the funding that we need to run this
initiative for the whole constituency and the city?
-
Mr Hunt
I am happy to give the project my wholehearted support. If
we are going to tackle obesity, we need an approach that
goes across all Departments of Government, including local
government, and this initiative sounds excellent. The
Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, my
hon. Friend the Member for Winchester (Steve Brine), will
be looking into the funding.
-
(Thirsk and Malton)
(Con)
Lambert Hospital in Thirsk was bequeathed to the town by
Sara Lambert in 1890, and was closed via the back door by
South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust last year. NHS
Property Services is planning a sell-off to the highest
bidder, despite the fair offer that is on the table from
the local authority which could include provision for
community use such as public health advice. Does my right
hon. Friend agree that there are times when value to the
public might outweigh the requirement to maximise a price?
-
Mr Hunt
I have spoken to my hon. Friend about this matter, and he
speaks powerfully about the community interest in this
particular transaction. We have listened carefully to what
he has said, and will continue to do so before a decision
is made.
-
Mrs (Washington and
Sunderland West) (Lab)
This August marks two years since the world’s first
childhood obesity plan was published, but the Government’s
plan, at just 13 pages, left a lot to be desired. More than
5.5 million children in this country are now officially
classed as overweight or obese, with 140,000 classed as
morbidly obese, as the hon. Member for South West
Bedfordshire (Andrew Selous) mentioned. This is now an
epidemic. Will the Secretary of State confirm whether the
Government’s second childhood obesity plan—due this summer,
we have heard—will include meaningful policies such as
restricting junk food advertising and the sale of energy
drinks to children?
-
Mr Hunt
I agree with the hon. Lady that we need to do more, because
this is a very serious issue. I think that she is being
slightly unfair on our first initiative. The sugary drinks
tax has been responsible for 45 million kg of sugar being
removed from the market, which is enormously important for
children. There is more to be done and I hope that we will
be able to announce plans soon.
-
(Corby) (Con)
The Daily Mile initiative in schools has huge potential in
reducing childhood obesity, improving academic attainment,
and improving the mental wellbeing of our young people.
Will my right hon. Friend look closely at that and have
conversations across Government about the benefits it could
bring?
-
Mr Hunt
That is an excellent initiative from Scotland, and it shows
why we all benefit from being in the United Kingdom
together. Yes, we will look at it very closely.
-
(Heywood and Middleton)
(Lab)
In tackling childhood obesity, will the Health Secretary
declare his support for Jamie Oliver’s AdEnough campaign
and get rid of pre-watershed television advertising of junk
food to our children?
-
Mr Hunt
That is one of a number of measures that we are looking at.
We are absolutely determined to do something about this.
One in 10 children starts school obese, and by the time
they leave primary school the figure is one in five. We
cannot wait any longer.
Stroke Patients: Health Outcomes
-
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and
Social Care (Steve Brine)
Evidence from cities such as Manchester and London is very
clear that centralising stroke treatment in hyper-acute
stroke units considerably improves outcomes, with patients
having access to a specialist at all times and immediate
access to imaging and investigative facilities, giving them
the best chances in terms of outcome.
-
My 82-year-old constituent, Freda, is recovering well from
a serious stroke, but she has been told that there is an
18-week wait for physiotherapy and that this is the NHS
standard. Does the Minister think that that is good enough?
-
I cannot comment on the individual case, but I can say that
NHS England and we at the Department are working closely
with the Stroke Association to develop a new national plan
for stroke in England which we expect to publish this
summer. The hon. Lady’s constituents and mine will benefit
from the national policy narrative, but they will also
benefit from some brilliant charities that work on the
ground with constituents. Yesterday, I saw Chandlers Ford
Stroke Support Group at the amazing Funtasia in my
constituency. That group does a lot to support people in
stroke as well.
-
(Redditch) (Con)
In Worcestershire, we are fortunate to have some excellent
stroke services serving my constituents across the whole
county. Does the Secretary of State agree that the most
important aspect of any service is leadership? With that in
mind, will he update the House on his progress in
appointing a new chair for our trust to deliver stroke
services and other services to Redditch?
-
I am not close to that issue, but I am told that we have
some excellent candidates, and I think that my hon. Friend
will be pleased.
-
(High Peak) (Lab)
The most important service that stroke patients need is
priority in getting to hospital for the treatment they
need. A patient in my constituency recently had to wait
five hours for an ambulance, with a GP sitting next to her
begging the service to send one. East Midlands Ambulance
Service has now had a review and will be getting an
increase in its funding, but can that be made faster over
the next two years?
-
The new ambulance standards are designed to do exactly
that. I note the hon. Lady’s welcome for that in her area.
That is critical, but of course it is critical that people
get to the right place and get the right treatment. That is
why I said at the start of these exchanges that
centralising stroke treatment is not always popular but is
often the best thing for clinical outcomes.
NHS Dentistry
-
(Stockton North)
(Lab)
15. How many people have accessed NHS dentistry services in
the last 12 months for which data is available. [905173]
-
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and
Social Care (Steve Brine)
Access to NHS dentistry remains consistently high. The most
recent figures show that 22 million adults were seen by an
NHS dentist in the 24 months from January ’16 to Christmas
last year and 6.9 million children visited a dentist last
year.
-
Twelve thousand of those people in my constituency were
left without a dentist when the Queensway practice in
Billingham, in common with many dentists across the
country, ditched NHS work. People are trying to build
capacity there, but the funding system for dentists is a
major impediment. What plans do the Government have to
address the crisis in NHS dentistry, encourage dentists to
stay with the NHS, and make dental health a priority?
-
We have been in correspondence about the Queensway
practice, as the hon. Gentleman knows. When a dental
contract ends and patients need to find another dentist,
NHS England has a legal duty, as he knows, to commission
alternative services to meet local need. I understand that
that is happening in his area and that he is being kept
regularly updated on the situation. In answer to a previous
question, I mentioned the dental contract, which is a key
part of our reforms to keep people in, and attract people
into, the dental profession.
-
(Kingston upon Hull West
and Hessle) (Lab)
It is shameful that our older and vulnerable residents
living in care homes do not have the access to dental
treatment that they need. The Minister revealed in a
written answer to me that older people living in care homes
are less likely to have any natural teeth and are more
likely to have serious tooth decay, but still no specific
action has been taken. Will the Secretary of State meet me
and commit to do everything he can to help prevent serious
tooth decay for our older and most vulnerable residents?
-
As I said, NHS England has a legal duty to commission
dental services and primary care dental services for the
hon. Lady’s constituents. If she wants to bring a specific
example from her constituency to me, I will be happy to
look at it.
Social Media: Children’s Mental Health
-
(Halesowen and Rowley
Regis) (Con)
16. What steps he is taking to protect children’s mental
wellbeing from the harmful effects of social media.
[905174]
-
The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Mr
Jeremy Hunt)
We are worried about the effects of social media on
children and young people, which is why we have asked the
chief medical officer to undertake a systematic review of
all the international literature, to help us understand
what further steps to take.
-
I recently met a group of headteachers in Halesowen, who
expressed real concern about the effects of social media on
the health of their pupils. Does the Secretary of State
agree that peer-to-peer support among young people in the
classroom and in our communities is a vital way of
benefiting young people through the positive aspects of
social media and combating the negative effects on their
mental health?
-
Mr Hunt
My hon. Friend is very knowledgeable about mental health,
and I totally agree with him. That is why we have given
£700,000 to the Anna Freud Centre to train teachers in how
to make possible peer support for children having mental
health issues.
-
(Bishop Auckland)
(Lab)
Durham police tell me that when there is a problem on
social media, particularly Facebook, it can take six months
between their asking for action and the social media
company tackling it. Will the Secretary of State speak to
the Home Office to get the system changed and speed it up?
-
Mr Hunt
The hon. Lady is absolutely right. I have spoken to the
social media companies. They are brilliant technologists,
and they have a duty to their customers to make themselves
part of the solution, not part of the problem, when these
things happen.
-
(Torbay) (Con)
Does the Secretary of State agree that some of this is
about ensuring that parents use appropriate techniques—for
example, having specific screen times and engaging with
their children about what they see on social media—and
giving them the tools to do so?
-
Mr Hunt
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. Parents play a vital
role, but social media companies can make it easier for
parents like us to do the right thing, and sometimes the
tools that parents need to use are not readily available.
-
(Manchester Central)
(Lab/Co-op)
Speak to any young person about what is causing child
mental health issues, and the No. 1 issue is not social
media, but exam and test pressure in schools, as we have
found in the joint inquiry by the Health and Education
Committees. Will the Secretary of State be as harsh on his
colleagues in the Department for Education as he is on the
social media companies when it comes to child mental
health?
-
Mr Hunt
What we actually now have is a record number of children in
good or outstanding schools—nearly 2 million more children.
That is something we all want for our children, but when it
comes to mental health, the NHS has very specific
responsibilities, and we of course look into every possible
cause.
Folic Acid: Children and Pregnant Women
-
(Redcar)
(Lab/Co-op)
17. What assessment he has made of the potential merits of
flour fortified with folic acid for children and pregnant
women. [905175]
-
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and
Social Care (Jackie Doyle-Price)
The Government are looking at existing pre and
post-conception health advice, including the use of folic
acid supplements, which are recommended to help reduce the
risks of neural tube defects in unborn children. We are
carefully considering the recommendations in the Scientific
Advisory Committee on Nutrition report on folic acid, and
the Government will set out their position in due course.
-
I thank the Minister for that answer, but the UK female
diet leaves blood folate levels below World Health
Organisation targets, and it was recommended back in 1991
that folic acid should be put into supplements and that
flour should be fortified. There are 80 countries around
the world where that is happening, and it is reducing cases
of spina bifida and other serious illnesses by up to 50%.
Will the Minister work with the Department for Environment,
Food and Rural Affairs to look once again at the
opportunities for fortifying flour with folic acid?
-
I can confirm that we will continue to look at that. The
hon. Lady is right that a large number of countries fortify
flour with folic acid, but the UK and other EU countries do
not. We have advice that if the intake of folic acid
exceeds given levels, that can also bring health problems,
but we will continue to look at it.
Topical Questions
-
(Edinburgh South)
(Lab)
T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental
responsibilities. [905182]
-
The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Mr
Jeremy Hunt)
I would like to give an update on the breast cancer
screening failure. I met the Public Health England chief
executive this afternoon, and I am informed that 65,000
letters were sent out last week, and the helpline has taken
nearly 14,000 calls to date. Further letters are going out
this week, and the first invitations to catch-up screenings
will go out next week. Due to the lack of clinical
consensus about the effectiveness of screening for older
women, we will provide advice and support for all who
missed scans and support them in making their own decision
as to whether to proceed. We will also publish the terms of
reference for the independent inquiry shortly, and I can
assure the House that no stone will be left unturned in
uncovering the truth.
-
I am grateful to the Secretary of State for that update,
but I would like to ask him about the Brexit transition
agreement, which cuts the UK out of the European Medicines
Agency. Can he give this House a cast-iron guarantee that
that will not stop the regulation of new drugs in the UK to
help patients, and will not prevent our world-class
pharmaceutical companies from basing themselves here to do
world-class research and development?
-
Mr Hunt
Yes, I can.
-
(Harlow) (Con)
T2. The Secretary of State has visited Princess Alexandra
Hospital in Harlow on a number of occasions and he will
recognise that, despite excellent staff, the hospital is
not fit for purpose. Will he confirm that Harlow is at the
top of the list for capital funding, and that we will get
the new hospital our town desperately needs? [905183]
-
The Minister for Health (Stephen Barclay)
We recognise that the Princess Alexandra Hospital estate is
in a poor condition. NHS Improvement is working with the
trust to develop an estate and capital strategy by summer
2018 to be assessed, with other schemes put forward, for
the next capital announcement for sustainability and
transformation partnerships. I am very happy to meet my
right hon. Friend to have further discussions about it.
-
(Leicester South)
(Lab/Co-op)
I thank the Secretary of State for his update on breast
cancer screening. I welcome his letter this morning with
respect to patient safety in the private sector, but is not
the truth that the best quality of care is provided by a
public national health service? Is it not time to legislate
to ensure that private hospitals improve their patient
safety standards, and if he accepts that levels of safety
are not acceptable in the private sector, why is the NHS
still referring patients to the unsafe private sector?
Should there not be a moratorium on those referrals until
these issues are sorted out?
-
Mr Hunt
The hon. Gentleman should be very careful in making
generalisations about the independent sector, just as he is
about the NHS sector, because the truth is that there is
too much poor care in both sectors, but both sectors also
have outstanding care. I have always said that there will
be no special favours for the independent sector, which we
will hold to the same high standard of care, through the
Care Quality Commission regime, as we do with NHS
hospitals. Let me just say to him that if we stopped
referring people to the independent sector, 140,000 people
would wait longer for their operations, and that is not
good care.
-
We have seen the private sector fail—the NHS is sued by
Virgin Care, patient transport contracts have to come back
in-house, and Carillion collapses and cleaning contracts
have to come back in-house—and now we learn that the
hotline for women affected by the breast cancer screening
failures is provided by Serco and staffed by call handlers
who, far from having medical or counselling training, have
had one hour’s training. Do not the women affected deserve
better than that? Will the Secretary of State provide the
resources for that phone line to be brought back in-house
and staffed by medical professionals?
-
Mr Hunt
I normally have so much respect for the hon. Gentleman, but
I think those women deserve a lot better than that
posturing. The helpline was set up at very short notice
because, obviously, the call handlers could not do all
their training until I had made a statement to Parliament,
which I judged was the most important thing to do first. It
is not the only help that the women affected will be
getting—on the basis of the advice received, they will be
referred back for help at their local hospital, with
Macmillan Cancer Support or through specialist clinicians
at Public Health England—but we thought it was right that
that number was made available as quickly as possible.
-
Several hon. Members rose—
-
Mr Speaker
I call . Get in there, man.
-
(Walsall North)
(Con)
T9. I hope the Minister will join me in congratulating the
mayor of Walsall, Marco Longhi, whose mayoralty has raised
a significant sum to support WPH Counselling and Education
Services, which provides adolescent mental care and
counselling in Walsall. [905191]
-
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and
Social Care (Jackie Doyle-Price)
I am very grateful to my hon. Friend for raising this
matter, and I very much welcome the contribution made by
the charity to support teenagers in his constituency with
psychological therapies and to help to address their mental
health conditions. I join him in extending my
congratulations to the mayor for choosing this very
important cause and for endeavouring to raise so much money
for it.
-
(Warrington South)
(Lab)
T3. Chapelford medical centre in my constituency has been
operating out of a portakabin on waste land for many years,
due to excessive delays and the failings of various NHS
bodies involved in this project. What action will Ministers
take to resolve these shocking delays, and will they meet
me to give assurances to my constituents? [905184]
-
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and
Social Care (Steve Brine)
I will be very happy to meet the hon. Gentleman to look at
his local issue.
-
(Faversham and Mid
Kent) (Con)
I welcome the Green Paper on mental health in schools,
which was published earlier this year, but it does prompt a
question about the mental health of students in further and
higher education. Does my right hon. Friend have any plans
to look into that issue? If he does not, may I urge him to
do so?
-
I thank my hon. Friend for her question and her continued
industry on these matters. As she mentioned, the Green
Paper outlined plans to set up a new national strategic
partnership focused on improving the mental health of 16 to
25-year-olds. That partnership is likely to support and
build on sector-led initiatives in higher education, such
as Universities UK’s #stepchange project, whose launch I
attended in September. The strategy calls on higher
education leaders to adopt mental health as a strategic
priority, to take a whole-university approach to mental
health and to embed it across policies, courses and
practices. [Interruption.]
-
Mr Speaker
Order. The hon. Member for Wigan (Lisa Nandy) need not
worry; her Zebedee-like qualities will always make her
visible. I am saving her for later. We will hear from her
shortly.
-
(Leicester East)
(Lab)
T4. There is a clear connection between obesity and type 2
diabetes. Will the Secretary of State confirm that that
issue will be addressed in the national diabetes prevention
programme? [905185]
-
Obesity has rightly had a strong outing today. We know that
it is a leading cause of type 2 diabetes; supporting people
to live healthier lifestyles can only reduce the incidence
of the disease. So far, more than 170,000 people have been
referred to the national diabetes prevention programme.
Those who are referred receive tailored, personalised help,
including education on healthy eating and lifestyle
choices, and bespoke physical exercise programmes.
-
Mr (Ludlow) (Con)
Is my right hon. Friend aware that following his decision
to make the capital allocation to Shrewsbury and Telford
Hospital NHS Trust before Easter, that trust has had
sufficient confidence to successfully appoint five
additional consultants in 10 days in April, thereby
improving resilience in acute healthcare in Shropshire?
-
I very much welcome the progress that my hon. Friend has
shared with the House. Many of us will also want to pay
tribute to his leadership during his time at the Department
in recognising the opportunity for reconfiguration that the
capital would unlock and is now delivering.
-
(Walthamstow)
(Lab/Co-op)
T5. On 21 March, the Secretary of State told the House that
he would look at the impact of private finance initiative
deals on NHS hospital budgets. What has he done since then?
How many meetings has he had about the issue? Will he
commit not to use PF2 deals, given the concerns? [905186]
-
Mr Hunt
I can absolutely commit that we are very conscious of the
failings of PFI when we have any discussion about NHS
capital funding, including the previous question. We are
very conscious of the need not to make the mistakes that
saddled the NHS with £71 billion of PFI debt.
-
Dr (Sleaford and North
Hykeham) (Con)
Dispensing practices are a lifeline in rural constituencies
such as Sleaford and North Hykeham. Does my right hon.
Friend agree that patients who live far from a pharmacy and
attend their local dispensing practice should all have
access to that dispensing service?
-
Yes, I do: dispensing practices are an important part of
the widening primary care mix. That is important for
constituents in rural areas such as my hon. Friend’s.
Community pharmacy and dispensing practices, which she
refers to, are increasingly important when they are part of
an integrated primary care pathway. That has got to be the
future.
-
(Glasgow East)
(SNP)
T6. What discussions have the Government had with Vertex
regarding the availability of Orkambi? Many Members packed
out Westminster Hall in a debate about that issue. Will the
Government give us an update on this really serious issue?
[905187]
-
This issue has received a lot of publicity in recent weeks.
My noble Friend Lord O’Shaughnessy and I wrote to Vertex
following that debate and asked it to be reasonable and
continue, with vigour, its negotiations with NHS England.
That letter was made public, as was the company’s actually
quite positive response last week. I urge the company again
to come to a reasonable conclusion.
-
(Havant) (Con)
Healthcare delivered by app and other new technologies is
increasingly popular with patients. Will my right hon.
Friend undertake to ensure that the NHS fully explores the
possibilities of new technologies when delivering
front-line services?
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Mr Hunt
I will absolutely do that. I congratulate my hon. Friend on
the excellent report that he published last week on that
very topic. We want to be the first country in the world
where all patients can access their own medical record
through an app.
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(Keighley) (Lab)
T7. Does the Secretary of State share my concern that,
according to the Royal College of Physicians, 43% of
advertised consultant vacancies were left unfilled in
2016-17? Will Ministers be brave and argue publicly that
there should be more visas for overseas doctors? [905188]
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Mr Hunt
Last year we gave more than 4,000 visas for overseas
doctors and since I have been Health Secretary we have had
nearly 10,000 more doctors, so we absolutely want to
address that problem.
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(East Renfrewshire)
(Con)
My constituent Susan is desperately waiting for the
Government to bring forward the remedial order for single
parent surrogates. The Joint Committee on Human Rights
published its response to the original draft in March. Is
there any update on when we will get the next version?
-
I can reassure my hon. Friend that the Government are
giving careful consideration to the implications of the
JCHR’s recommendations and what changes may be necessary to
address them. It is our current intention that a revised
order be laid for JCHR scrutiny before the summer recess.
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Several hon. Members rose—
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Mr Speaker
Patience rewarded. I call .
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(Colne Valley)
(Lab)
Does the Minister agree that eating a nutritionally
balanced meal can reduce snacking between meals and
therefore help to reduce childhood obesity? If so, will he
speak to his colleagues in the Department for Education and
ask them to ensure that the 6,400 children in Kirklees who
are set to lose out on a well balance nutritious free
school meal do not?
-
I talk to colleagues across Government all the time. The
first round of the child obesity plan—it was maligned
earlier—contained many good things, such as the sugary
drinks tax. A couple of months ago we launched, with Public
Health England, changes in relation to the nutrient
profiling of foods marketed to children. That is positive
for the hon. Lady’s constituents and for mine.
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(Stafford) (Con)
Five years on from the Francis report, how does my right
hon. Friend assess patient safety in the NHS?
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Mr Hunt
There are still many things to tackle when it comes to
patient safety, but I think the NHS has risen magnificently
to the challenges in the report. There are nearly 45,000
more doctors and nurses across the system. Although there
is more to be done, much credit should go to the NHS.
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(Wigan) (Lab)
This week marks two and a half months since the independent
inquiry into child sexual abuse recommended that
compensation be paid urgently to children sent abroad by
their Government and subjected to the most appalling child
abuse. In that time, the Secretary of State’s Department,
despite repeated requests for action, has made not a single
statement. Many former child migrants have died and others
are dying. How many more will have to wait, and die
waiting, for justice before this Government get their act
together and pay them the compensation that is owed?
-
We have been quite frank about the fact that the child
migration policy should never have happened and this
Government have apologised repeatedly for it. I can assure
the hon. Lady that I am currently working with officials to
come up with a formal response to the committee of inquiry.
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(Aldershot) (Con)
Will the Minister update me on the FIT—faecal
immunochemical test—for bowel cancer? It has long been
promised and we know it saves lives. When will it
materialise?
-
I updated Members on this last week in a Westminster Hall
debate. Bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer in
the UK and the second leading cause of cancer deaths. My
hon. Friend is right that the FIT has long been promised.
There have been a lot of challenges—making sure we get it
right and referrals into the secondary sector—but the FIT
will be rolled out from autumn.
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(Leeds Central)
(Lab)
The European health insurance card enables British citizens
to get medical treatment in the EU, including kidney
patients who need dialysis. Without it, many of them simply
could not go on holiday at all. Will the Secretary of State
tell the House whether it remains the Government’s
objective to keep the EHIC in place after we have left the
EU, and, if so, what progress is being made to ensure that
that happens?
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Mr Hunt
It is absolutely our intention. We think it is beneficial
for Brits and beneficial for Europeans. We are very
confident that we will be able to negotiate reciprocal
healthcare arrangements to protect those benefits, but our
first preference would be a continuation of the current
scheme.
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(Hitchin and Harpenden)
(Con)
Will the Minister explain how and when the community
pharmacy sector will gain access to the pharmacy
integration fund? Millions have been promised. When will it
be delivered?
-
The pharmacy integration fund is a great success. It needed
to be ramped up and it is being ramped up. Pharmacists,
working within general practice, are making a great
difference to the multidisciplinary team within primary
care.
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Mr Speaker
I feel sure that “ramped up” is the technical term.
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(Ogmore) (Lab)
The Secretary of State will be aware that the hon. Member
for Hazel Grove (Mr Wragg) and I set up an all-party group
on the impact of social media on the mental health of
children. With all the work the Secretary of State has done
to date on that, I wonder whether he and his ministerial
team will agree to engage with the all-party group’s
inquiry and look at how we find solutions to these
problems, including mental health.
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Mr Hunt
I would be delighted to do so.
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Mr Speaker
Splendid. I call .
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(Kingswood) (Con)
Several of my constituents have contacted me to welcome the
Government’s recent announcement of additional investment for
prostate cancer funding. Will the Minister update the House
on what the money is and what it will be spent on?
-
Gladly. Prostate cancer survival rates are at a record high,
but we want to do even better, so last month the Prime
Minister announced £75 million to support new research into
the early diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer. The
National Institute for Health Research will recruit 40,000
more patients, which is a lot, for more than 60 studies into
prostate cancer over the next five years.
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(Bradford South)
(Lab)
I welcome the recent news that NHS England has committed to
redirecting extra funding for dental services to Bradford as
an area of need—it comes after a high-profile campaign in the
Bradford Telegraph and Argus—but I urge the Minister to
recognise the need for long-term reform of the dental
contract and for a sustainable funding settlement for all.
Will he meet me and others campaigning on this issue to
discuss what progress has been made?
-
Yes. The dental contract has had a good outing this
afternoon. I am always happy to see the hon. Lady and I can
tick the Telegraph and Argus off my bucket list if they come
along as well.
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Several hon. Members rose—
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Mr Speaker
I have been enjoying listening to my colleagues so much that
I inadvertently lost track of time, but it seems only right
that the final question should go to the Chair of the Health
Committee—I call .
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(Totnes) (Con)
Thank you, Mr Speaker. Will the Secretary of State commit to
publishing the progress report on sugar reduction and the
next steps strategy on the reformulation programme, so that
the Health Committee can examine that when Public Health
England appears before us on 22 May?
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Mr Hunt
I had a conversation with Public Health England before
questions this afternoon, and it committed to publishing that
before that hearing.
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