Health and Social Care The Secretary of State was asked— Discharge
from Hospital: Covid-19 Outbreak Rob Butler (Aylesbury) (Con) 1.
What steps his Department is taking to support the effective
discharge of patients from hospital during the covid-19 outbreak.
(905075) The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Sajid
Javid) We are working closely with the NHS, social care and local
authorities to significantly reduce delayed discharge and free
up...Request free trial
Health and Social Care
The Secretary of State was asked—
Discharge from Hospital: Covid-19 Outbreak
(Aylesbury) (Con)
1. What steps his Department is taking to support the effective
discharge of patients from hospital during the covid-19 outbreak.
(905075)
The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care ()
We are working closely with the NHS, social care and local
authorities to significantly reduce delayed discharge and free up
beds for those who need them most. We are making full use of
non-acute beds, including those in hospices, other community beds
and beds in the independent sector. To drive further progress and
support regional and local systems, I also established a new
national taskforce last month to help deliver best practice.
I thank my right hon. Friend for his answer. Many people would
like to leave hospital when their treatment is completed, but
they are not quite well enough to cope alone at home. That is
obviously frustrating for them, because they want their
independence, it creates problems for hospitals, which need the
beds, and it costs the taxpayer unnecessary money. Does my right
hon. Friend therefore agree that the development of a strategy to
provide intermediate care to support discharge would help
alleviate pressure on both the NHS and the social care
sector?
I do agree with my hon. Friend. That is why, as part of our
continued response to the covid-19 pandemic, on 2 December last
year NHS England asked local systems to consider ways to increase
patient flow out of acute hospital settings. That includes surge
capacity in care homes, identifying unused hospice capacity and,
in some cases, repurposing hotel accommodation where appropriate.
NHS England is reporting to me on this regularly, and it is
something that we will closely monitor progress on.
(Worsley and Eccles South)
(Lab)
The Government’s own impact assessment of discharge to assess in
the Health and Care Bill, which was published almost two months
after the Bill was voted on, expects unpaid carers to have to
give up working hours and bear the financial burdens of the
discharge to assess policy. In the light of that assessment will
the Government provide greater support to unpaid carers, or will
they actually reconsider this policy?
Throughout the pandemic especially we have been providing more
and more support, quite rightly, across the care sector,
including for domiciliary care in care homes and unpaid carers.
We have made £3.3 billion of extra funding and support available
since March 2020.
(Kettering) (Con)
Kettering General Hospital is a 500-bed medium general hospital,
and I am afraid that too many, mainly elderly, people who have
completed their medical treatment still await discharge back into
the community in a safe way. Will the Secretary of State ensure
that the national taskforce is sent to Northamptonshire to help
us deal with this issue?
My hon. Friend is right to raise this issue. It is of increasing
concern, especially as we have seen hospitalisations rise because
of the omicron wave. I believe that the national taskforce is
already looking at Northamptonshire. If it is not, I will
certainly make sure it does.
Mr Speaker
I welcome the shadow Minister, .
(Bristol South) (Lab)
Around 10,000 medically fit people are currently in hospital when
they should be at home with their families or in a supported
setting. That is a tragedy for them and a mark of shame on this
Government. Short-term cash, taskforces or threatening legal
action are not solutions. Social care support is a lifeline not a
luxury, so will the Government now work with us cross-party in
line with the joint Select Committee report of 2018 to bring
forward immediate change and offer hope and respite to those
receiving and giving social care?
First, may I welcome the hon. Lady to her new position and wish
her all the very best? She will have heard in a previous answer
that social care and those who provide social care, which is such
a vital act and such a vital service throughout our country, are
receiving record amounts of support—£3.3 billion of extra
financing since March 2020. Of course I would be more than happy
to work with her and her colleagues to see whether there is more
that we can do together.
Covid-19: Hospital Admissions
(West Worcestershire)
(Con)
2. What steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of
covid-19 hospital admissions. (905076)
(Great Grimsby) (Con)
15. What steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of
covid-19 hospital admissions. (905090)
The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care ()
We have developed a globally recognised programme that combines
boosters, testing and antivirals to protect the vulnerable and to
reduce hospital admissions. Our “Get Boosted Now” campaign led to
a huge increase in vaccination rates and we have successfully
procured the highest number of antivirals per head in Europe. We
are also employing the use of remote monitoring technology to
enable more patients to get the care that they need at home
rather than having to be admitted into hospital.
Before omicron arrived there had been over 10 million positive
cases in this country of covid-19, of which 14 in every 1,000
appeared to have been fatal. Since omicron arrived there have
been a further 5 million cases, and it looks as though the
fatality rate is about 10 times lower. Will the Secretary of
State tell the House how important the “Get Boosted Now”
programme has been in reducing hospitalisations and
fatalities?
Yes, of course. The officials within my Department have carried
out a wealth of analysis on case fatality rates in the vaccinated
and unvaccinated populations. Recent data has shown that covid-19
case fatality rates for the over-80s are likely to be more than
five times greater in the unvaccinated versus those who have had
at least two doses.
My hon. Friend may be interested to know that, when I recently
visited the intensive care unit dealing with covid patients in
King’s College, the consultant in charge told me that he
estimated that about 70% of his patients on that day were
completely unvaccinated. It is clear, as we have seen especially
in the past few weeks, that vaccinations save lives.
I have a 90-year-old constituent who has been prevented from
going to see his 89-year-old wife of 65 years. It took my
intervention after 20 days of his being prevented from seeing her
for him to be able to get into the hospital. Neither of them have
covid. Will my right hon. Friend please instruct health trusts
that, as we reduce the incidence of covid in hospitals, family
members must be allowed to go and see their family in
hospital?
I am very sorry to hear about what happened to my hon. Friend’s
constituent. It cannot be right that people are unable to visit
their loved ones while they are in hospital. It should not
require the intervention of a Member of Parliament to do so.
Allowing such visits should be an absolute priority in every
trust, and I have recently raised this issue with the chief
executive of the NHS. She has assured me that this message will
be sent loud and clear to all NHS trusts.
(Kingston upon Hull West and
Hessle) (Lab)
Too many women with endometriosis are being forced to go to
A&E or seek hospital admissions for their treatment. This is
partly because they wait on average seven and a half years for a
diagnosis. What can the Secretary of State do to improve the
knowledge and awareness of endometriosis right across all aspects
of the NHS?
The hon. Lady is absolutely right to raise the importance of
endometriosis. She will know, I hope, that in the women’s health
strategy there will be an important focus on it. Within that
strategy, we have set out how we can work together to do much
more.
(St Albans) (LD)
We know that the number of covid admissions has led to a number
of people having their routine hospital treatment cancelled. Last
week it was announced that that had reached a record-breaking 6
million people. When might the Government make a statement about
hitting this figure and set out a plan to tackle it?
The hon. Lady will know that, sadly because of covid and the need
for the NHS to prioritise it—rightly—we have sadly seen an
increase in people waiting for elective procedures and scans. She
will also know that the Government have already set out a plan to
deal with that in terms of funding—the biggest catch-up fund in
history, with an extra £8 billion of funding over the next three
years. After tackling the most immediate need to deal with
omicron, we will shortly set out in much more detail how we
intend to tackle the elective backlog.
Covid-19 Vaccination Sites
(South East Cornwall)
(Con)
3. What steps his Department is taking to provide additional
covid-19 vaccination sites. (905077)
(Bolsover) (Con)
12. What steps his Department is taking to provide additional
covid-19 vaccination sites. (905086)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social
Care ()
To maximise uptake there are now more than 3,000 sites—more than
ever—delivering covid-19 vaccines and boosters, including
hundreds of walk-in sites. Opening times have been extended to
seven days a week. GPs and community pharmacies have been asked
to do more vaccinations, and 750 armed forces personnel and 41
military planners have been brought in to every region to help
co-ordinate the national effort. The offer of a covid vaccine—a
first or second dose, and a booster for those eligible—remains
open to everyone.
Mrs Murray
In rural areas such as mine in South East Cornwall, it can mean
travelling miles to get to the nearest available centre. What
ambitions do the Government have to get vaccinations out to the
smaller communities to assist those who have yet to be vaccinated
to get their jab?
Well, 99% of the population in England live within 10 miles of a
covid-19 vaccination site, and robust plans are in place to
ensure that everyone has convenient access to a vaccine. In
Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, 85% of those eligible have
received their booster or third dose. There are targeted
vaccination programmes in Cornwall to support the homeless,
Traveller and migrant workers communities and fishermen—a
community that has a great champion in my hon. Friend.
For those in more rural Cornwall communities, a further 16 pop-up
sessions are organised throughout January, and more are planned
to ensure that everyone can get boosted more easily.
A number of residents in Bolsover have written to me to ask why
there is not a specific vaccination centre in the town. Given
that the booster roll-out has slowed locally and given our poor
bus connections, could the Minister—as my former Whip, I know
that she is incredibly persuasive—look into having a specific
site in Bolsover?
There are now six vaccination sites in the Bolsover district. A
regular pop-up clinic was also set up in Shirebrook to address
and identify the shortfall in uptake, but that has been phased
out as new community pharmacy and primary care network clinics
came on board to support the local vaccination programme and
increase the number of Bolsover sites at the end of 2021. I am
sure that my hon. Friend will be delighted to hear that a new
roving vaccination van is being deployed across Derbyshire. It
will visit Bolsover and surrounding villages to provide extra
capacity and ensure that everyone has another way to get their
booster jab. It will also allow those not yet vaccinated to come
forward for this life-saving protection.
(Westmorland and Lonsdale) (LD)
Undoubtedly, additional vaccine sites in rural communities will
increase vaccine uptake, which is vital. However, does the
Minister agree that, for NHS staff, counselling and one-to-one
conversations are right and far more effective than the
Government’s current plan potentially to sack the 5% of hospital
staff in the Morecambe Bay region and indeed across the country
who have not been vaccinated? That would cause a serious capacity
problem in the NHS.
I reassure the hon. Gentleman that we are talking about patient
safety. He is quite right that it is important to have that
dialogue, and I know that colleagues across the board in the NHS
are having that. It is interesting to note that more than 94% of
NHS staff have already had their vaccine, and I commend them for
that. As the chief medical officer rightly said, those looking
after other people who are very vulnerable have a “professional
responsibility” to get vaccinated.
(Hornsey and Wood Green)
(Lab)
Access to vaccinations in remote areas is incredibly important,
but so is a general health strategy for clinically very
vulnerable people. Young Lara in my constituency had the organ
that she desperately needed for a double organ transplant, but
unfortunately there was no bed in intensive care for her to have
the operation. What strategy is the Department taking in general
for our clinically vulnerable to provide access to operating
theatres so that there is a focus not just on vaccination but on
the multiple health conditions that so many of them suffer across
the board?
The hon. Lady makes a really good point. I reassure her that
procedures for urgent cases have not been cancelled. As the House
knows, we are looking at the private sector to help deliver vital
support for those patients.
Covid-19 Testing Infrastructure
(Dudley South) (Con)
4. What assessment he has made of the capacity of the UK’s
covid-19 testing infrastructure in comparison to other countries.
(905078)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social
Care ()
The UK continues to provide one of the highest testing rates
globally. We have increased capacity for PCR testing by over
200,000 tests per day since December. Home delivery capacity is
now at 7 million lateral flow tests every day, with community
pharmacies supplying an additional 9.5 million tests last week.
In comparison to England, countries that have put in place more
restrictions might have chosen a different balance between
lateral flow devices and PCRs to meet their individual testing
demands. Therefore, we cannot meaningfully compare our testing
infrastructure to that of other countries.
I thank the Minister for that answer. Health and social care
workers who care for some of the most clinically vulnerable
members of our society were rightly prioritised for early
vaccination. Does she agree that, similarly, they must be
prioritised for testing? What is she doing to ensure that?
My hon. Friend makes a good point. The most vulnerable people are
being prioritised. The UK Health Security Agency and NHS Test and
Trace currently deliver an average of more than 70,000 PCR kits
and 970,000 LFD kits a week to adult social care settings. In
recent weeks, as demand has increased due to the omicron wave,
Dudley, like other local authorities, has provided tests to key
workers to enable them to keep working.
(Strangford) (DUP)
I thank the Minister for her response. The Government have
recently announced that self-isolation will be cut to five days,
given a negative lateral flow test. Has the Minister come to an
assessment on the impact that will have on demand for lateral
flow tests, given the struggle many have faced trying to obtain a
box of them in recent weeks?
As we look at policy and amend it like we did last week, it is
right that we make sure that we can fill those requirements. I
reassure the hon. Gentleman that we can, and we have increased
the procurement of lateral flow devices. This month, we will get
another 750 million lateral flow devices into the UK for January
and February.
(West Suffolk) (Con)
I am sure the whole House will welcome the early signs of falling
numbers of people in hospital with covid. Does the Minister have
any comments on the news yesterday from the World Health
Organisation that it thinks that the UK looks set to be one of
the first countries out of the pandemic, and how much weight does
she put on the vaccination and booster programme, and the
colossal scale of our testing availability, in that
achievement?
My right hon. Friend makes a really good point. We know that
omicron numbers are still really high, and we still have more
than 2,000 people hospitalised every day, so we do need to be
cautious. But my hon. Friend is right, in that our vaccine and
testing programmes have been vital in being able to tackle this
deadly virus. I encourage everybody to get their booster and, if
they have not come forward for their first or second jab, to get
those too.
Covid-19 Tests: Supply
(Sefton Central) (Lab)
5. What plans his Department has to ensure that there is an
adequate supply of covid-19 tests during the covid-19 outbreak.
(905079)
(Banff and Buchan) (Con)
19. What steps his Department is taking to increase the supply of
lateral flow and PCR covid-19 tests. (905094)
The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care ()
We have significantly increased our testing and supply capacity
since December, procuring over 700 million more lateral flow
tests, ramping up our delivery capacity and expanding the UK’s
daily PCR capacity. Around 1.7 billion lateral flow tests have
been distributed across the UK since the start of the pandemic.
Home delivery capacity is now at over 7 million lateral flow
tests every day, and we have also recently increased capacity for
PCR testing by more than 200,000 tests per day.
I asked the Prime Minister, but he did not know. I asked the
Business Secretary and he did not seem to care. So today is third
time lucky. Why were 30 million British-made lateral flow tests
sitting in a warehouse waiting for approval while Chinese tests
were given temporary approval, all while people could not get
test kits from pharmacies or from Test and Trace? It took six
months to give approval to SureScreen diagnostics: when will the
Government support British test manufacturers and end the
preference for imports from China?
I can give the hon. Gentleman an answer, and I am very happy to
do so. He will know that whenever we try to procure tests, in
this case lateral flow tests, we should always try to buy British
first, and we do buy from SureScreen—it is a fantastic supplier.
But he will also know that we can only, rightly, buy lateral flow
tests once they have been approved by our independent medical
regulator.
Does my right hon. Friend agree that access to the largest
testing programme in Europe is just one example of the advantages
to the people of Scotland when we adopt a UK-wide approach to
shared challenges?
I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend about a unified approach
to shared challenges such as covid-19, and that unified approach
being the best way forward. Across the UK, we have built the
largest diagnostic network in British history and our testing
programme has been one of the most important lines of defence,
alongside our UK-wide vaccination programme. Our procurement of
tests, antivirals and vaccines has been another fantastic example
of the strength of the Union.
(Denton and Reddish)
(Lab)
“Always try and buy British first” was what the Secretary of
State said a few moments ago, but a few weeks ago it was reported
that plans to manufacture lateral flow tests here in the UK were
shelved because the Government were scared that they might be
accused of handing out dodgy deals to their mates. I know the
Minister has form on this, but on this point they were misguided.
Can he now say to the House that that was not the case and that
he was not running scared of a transparent procurement policy,
and that he will now do all he can to turbocharge British
manufacturing and get British lateral flow tests in the system,
so that we do not ever suffer again from those avoidable
shortages we saw over Christmas?
First, I think the hon. Gentleman accused me of doing something
inappropriate, and I think that that is not appropriate, unless
he has something else to say or some evidence, but it is true to
form for the Labour Front Bench, which just constantly makes
things up to make false points. When it comes to testing, as he
has just heard me say, we have purchased 1.7 billion lateral flow
tests since the start of the pandemic. Wherever possible, whether
it is PCR testing or lateral flow testing, whenever tests are
approved by our independent regulator, we buy British.
Free Prescriptions: People aged 60 and Over
(Chesham and Amersham) (LD)
6. If he will make it his policy that prescriptions will remain
free for people aged 60 and over. (905080)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social
Care ()
At the present time, no decision has been made to increase the
upper age exemption for free prescriptions.
Such a policy change would hit a vulnerable age bracket who are
more likely to have one or more long-term illnesses requiring
medication. A constituent of mine has told me of his concern at
the cost of paying for his wife’s Parkinson’s medication, should
such a change be introduced. Given that the millions facing a new
charge will also be hit by a rise in living costs, will the
Secretary of State shelve such proposals and review the list of
conditions that qualify for a medical exemption certificate?
Can I just reinforce the answer I have just given? There is no
decision to increase the upper age exemption for free
prescriptions, and the rumour circulating that the Government are
removing free prescriptions for pensioners is completely false.
The Government are absolutely committed to maintaining free
prescriptions for pensioners.
(South Basildon and East
Thurrock) (Con)
I am very pleased to hear that no decision has been made on this
important topic, and I hope the situation remains as it is. Will
my hon. Friend take this opportunity to remind those who are
paying for their prescriptions that a pre-payment certificate is
available that can save a significant amount of money for those
who regularly use their pharmacy?
My hon. Friend is absolutely right, and he does well to highlight
the pre-payment certificate. If people go for a 12-month
certificate, which is about £2 a week, for two items they can
save £116.30 and for three items, £228.50, so it is well worth
the investment.
Folic Acid in Flour
John Mc Nally (Falkirk) (SNP)
8. What recent steps the Government have taken to progress the
introduction of mandatory folic acid supplementation in flour to
prevent spinal conditions in babies. (905082)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social
Care ()
Following consultation last September, we announced that we would
legislate to fortify non-wholemeal wheat flour with folic acid.
We are working at pace to move this policy forward, and we have
already engaged with industry as part of a cross-Government
review of bread and flour regulations. All four nations are now
working closely together to develop the draft legislation and
impact assessment for future consultation.
John Mc Nally
I thank the Minister for her answer. As she knows, the Scientific
Advisory Committee on Nutrition has recommended mandatory folic
acid fortification of flour. The UK Government launched a public
consultation that closed in 2019. In September last year, the UK
Government announced that folic acid will be added to
non-wholemeal wheat flour across the UK to help to prevent
life-threatening spinal conditions in babies. Therefore, can the
Minister update the House on the UK Government’s timeline to
implement the decision in a wee bit more detail, please?
I thank the hon. Gentleman for raising this important issue,
because fortifying non-wholemeal wheat flour with folic acid will
help to prevent hundreds of neural tube defects in foetuses every
year. I regret that I cannot commit to a specific timetable, but
we need to consult on the draft legislation and will look to give
industry appropriate notice. All four nations are working
together on the timetable and hope to deliver this important
policy as soon as possible.
NHS Capacity and Resilience: Covid-19
(North Warwickshire)
(Con)
9. What steps his Department is taking to help (a) maximise NHS
capacity and (b) increase the NHS’s resilience during the
covid-19 outbreak. (905083)
The Minister for Health ()
Alongside measures to reduce demand and admissions, such as the
vaccine roll-out and new therapeutics for covid, the NHS is
creating the maximum possible capacity and investing in improved
discharge arrangements, the use of independent sector beds,
virtual wards and Nightingales to provide surge capacity,
alongside our investment in delivering more than 20,000 more
clinical staff this year compared with August 2020.
I thank the Minister for that answer. As he knows, one of the
main challenges facing hospitals is delays in the transfer of
patients back to care homes due to historic restrictions,
particularly where there has been an outbreak, although there may
have been only one case. As we move to treating covid as more of
an endemic condition, what steps can be taken to stop restricting
admissions to these care homes, which would undoubtedly relieve
pressure on hospitals?
There is local flexibility to allow residents to be safely
admitted to a care home during outbreak restrictions, following a
risk-based approach that takes into account the size of
outbreaks, who is affected, care home size and layout, rates of
booster vaccination and current Care Quality Commission rating.
The CQC supports risk-based decisions made on admissions to
support the discharge of people with a negative covid test
result, but, of course, we must continue to ensure the safety of
those in care homes.
(Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
(SNP)
The workforce are absolutely central to growing NHS capacity. The
advice in a Migration Advisory Committee report was to amend
migration policies, make
“Care Workers and Home Carers…immediately eligible for the Health
and Care Worker Visa and place the occupation on the Shortage
Occupation List.”
When will the UK Government start listening to their advisers and
change migration policies to alleviate the pressures facing our
NHS?
I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his question and for the
tone of his question. He is absolutely right to highlight the
importance of the workforce. The workforce are the golden thread
that runs through the heart of everything we do in our NHS, which
is why we have already taken a number of steps to increase our
workforce. We are well on target to meet our target of 50,000
more nurses. As I mentioned in my initial answer, in August last
year we had over 20,000 more clinically qualified staff compared
with August 2020, so we continue to grow the workforce.
(Thornbury and Yate) (Con)
Delivering new community hospitals is a key part of upgrading and
expanding NHS capacity. The Department is currently examining a
bid to rebuild and expand services at Thornbury Hospital, which
is desperately needed due to the expansion of the town. Will my
hon. Friend meet me to discuss the next steps in delivering this
vital infrastructure improvement in south Gloucestershire?
I am grateful to my hon. Friend. He is absolutely right that, in
looking to meet the demand challenges imposed on our NHS, it is
not just about district, general or acute hospitals, but about
all our hospital facilities, including community hospitals. He
has raised this subject with me on a number of occasions. He is a
doughty champion for Thornbury and, of course, I am always happy
to meet him.
(Leyton and Wanstead) (Lab)
On the issue of capacity, the argument has always been floating
around that bed numbers can be cut on the basis of medical and
technological advances. That was always deeply suspect, but in
the context of covid-19 and its aftermath, can the Minister
assure the House that there will be no cuts in bed numbers in any
future hospital reconfiguration?
Decisions on hospital reconfigurations and changes to local
hospital systems are a matter for the local NHS, following full
consultation and consideration of the needs of local communities.
The hon. Gentleman is right to highlight the importance of bed
capacity in the NHS. The NHS as a whole will continue to look at
what bed capacity is needed to meet future need.
Mr (South West Hertfordshire)
(Con)
My constituent David Hulbert contacted me to ask that I pay
tribute in the Chamber to the phenomenal NHS teams from both
Mount Vernon Hospital and Watford General Hospital for the care
he has received, following his admission for cancer. Will the
Minister join me in thanking the NHS for its tireless,
backlog-clearing work, and for continuing with lifesaving
non-covid operations, alongside its ongoing heroic actions
leading our covid fight and vaccine roll-out?
I am always happy to take the opportunity, as I know the
Opposition Front-Bench team and my colleagues are, to thank the
amazing NHS workforce for the work they have done. I pay tribute
to the work of the teams at Mount Vernon and Watford General and,
in the context of the pandemic, I pay tribute to my hon. Friend
the Member for Watford (), who volunteered to help out
at the hospital.
Dame (Hackney South and Shoreditch) (Lab/Co-op)
The Minister highlighted the use of independent care providers.
Last week, the Department announced that 150 hospitals would be
on standby for three months to provide additional resource. Can
the Minister tell the House when he or his Secretary of State
asked NHS England to investigate standing up the 150 hospitals,
which will receive a minimum income guarantee of £75 million to
£90 million a month?
I think I heard the hon. Lady correctly and she asked when those
discussions began. That was last year, prior to the peak of this
wave. We believe that the use of the independent sector to assist
our NHS and provide additional capacity is absolutely the right
thing to do. Thus far, during the course of the pandemic, it has
provided, I believe, over 5 million procedures to patients.
Therefore, we think this is a valuable and important addition to
our capacity, and it is right that we have this surge capacity
insurance policy in place to help to meet further demand.
Covid-19 Hospitalisations: Vaccination Programme
(South West Wiltshire)
(Con)
10. What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the
covid-19 vaccination programme in reducing
hospitalisations.(905084)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social
Care ()
Vaccination continues to offer our best line of defence against
hospitalisation due to covid-19. The latest data shows vaccine
effectiveness against hospitalisation with the omicron variant
was 58% after one dose and 64% up to 24 weeks after two doses.
Vaccine effectiveness against hospitalisation was 92% in the
first two to four weeks after a third dose or booster and 83%
after 10 or more weeks. Those who are unvaccinated are eight
times more likely to be hospitalised. That is why it is so
important that everybody takes up the offer to get boosted.
Dr Murrison
I thank the Minister for that reply. The facts are that the
vaccination programme has been massively successful in reducing
hospitalisation, particularly admission to intensive therapy
units. So will the Minister confirm that, on 26 January,
particularly given what we now know about the nature of the covid
variant that we are currently struggling with, those regulations
will lapse? Will she further confirm that she will amend advice
on working from home? Most importantly, will she ensure that we
reverse the counterproductive compulsory vaccination of NHS staff
that the Government’s own figures suggest—
Mr Speaker
Order. Come on, we cannot have questions that are so long.
Although evidence shows that the omicron variant causes less
severe disease than previous variants, yesterday in England we
still had over 16,000 covid patients in hospital and over 84,000
reported cases. Plan B measures are currently in place in
England, and will be reviewed before the regulations expire on 26
January. The best thing everyone can do to help to keep the virus
under control is to keep coming forward for booster jabs to help
to stop the spread of infection and manage the immediate
pressures on the NHS.
(York Central)
(Lab/Co-op)
I am seriously concerned about the rapidly depleting efficacy of
the vaccine—at 10 weeks, between 40% and 50% protection—and
therefore my question to the Minister is: what happens next?
Already we are talking about a mandatory programme of vaccine for
NHS staff which will see depletion after 10 weeks, but also
public health measures may be removed: what next after the
booster?
I would like to reassure the hon. Lady that the Joint Committee
on Vaccination and Immunisation is monitoring this all the time,
and we take advice from the JCVI.
Face-to-face GP Appointments
(West Bromwich East)
(Con)
11. What steps his Department is taking to reduce waiting times
for face-to-face GP appointments.(905085)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social
Care ()
In October last year, the Government announced a plan to improve
general practice capacity, backed up by £250 million of winter
access funds to help GPs and their practices. That can be used to
fund more sessions from existing staff, or indeed increase the
physical premises at a practice. For my hon. Friend’s area, the
Black Country and West Birmingham clinical commissioning group
expects an award of £6.5 million from the winter access fund.
My constituents in West Bromwich East have been raising concerns
with me about their ability to access face-to-face GP
appointments at local surgeries. Given the significant £250
million winter funding package for general practice announced
towards the end of last year, what assessment has the Minister
made of whether that support is making a real difference on the
ground?
I thank my hon. Friend, who is pushing me constantly to improve
access for her constituents, but can I reassure her that the
announcement, the funds and the support are making a difference?
In November last year, there were on average 1.39 million general
practice appointments per working day, compared with 1.31 million
in November 2019, but crucially, 62.7% of those appointments were
face to face, so this is really making a difference for
patients.
(Enfield North) (Lab)
A nurse wrote this week about working on covid wards during the
height of the pandemic:
“There were no vaccines or treatments then and we worked for
hours in full PPE to protect ourselves and try not to bring the
virus home to our families. There were no after work drinks for
us…It is clear that there was a culture inside Number 10 where
even if rules were not technically broken, the spirit of the
rules were, and this is completely unacceptable.”
The nurse is the Minister. Surely she must agree that the Prime
Minister should now resign.
I am very disappointed by the hon. Lady’s question. Serious
issues are facing the NHS and patients, and instead of playing
party politics at the Dispatch Box, perhaps she needs to ask her
own leader what he was doing in May last year.
Discharge from Hospital: Care Packages
(Tewkesbury) (Con)
13. What steps he is taking to help expedite the process of
arranging care packages for people waiting to be discharged from
hospital; and if he will make a statement. (905088)
The Minister for Care and Mental Health ()
People should be discharged from hospital safely and with the
appropriate care and support they need. As the Secretary of State
outlined, we have provided £3.3 billion via the NHS to facilitate
timely hospital discharges over the pandemic, including £478
million just for this winter. We recognise that providers and
local authorities have experienced significant challenges in
recruiting and retaining social care workers. That is why we have
provided £462.5 million over winter, for this period, to support
care providers to improve existing care support.
Mr Robertson
I thank the Minister for that response, but even given all that
help, almost 30% of available acute beds in Gloucestershire are
occupied by patients who are medically fit for discharge. About
half of those are awaiting care packages and the other half are
looking for beds in community hospitals or care homes, or
awaiting home discharge. What more can the Government do to
relieve the pressure on the acute hospitals in Gloucestershire
and on all the medical staff?
I assure my hon. Friend that this is something we take very
seriously and we meet every day to discuss this issue. We are
conscious of the pressures caused by omicron, and of the
herculean challenges faced by health and social care providers to
discharge people in a safe and timely way, particularly with
outbreaks and having to manage infection prevention and control.
That includes the Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust,
which declared a national incident on 28 December at its
Gloucestershire site. But it responded brilliantly and stood down
the incident nine days later. As the Secretary of State said, we
have also established a national discharge taskforce, which is
driving progress to bring a renewed focus on reducing discharge
delays, including in Gloucestershire, and working with local
government and the NHS.
Cancer Outcomes
(Nottingham North)
(Lab/Co-op)
14. What recent assessment he has made of cancer outcomes.
(905089)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social
Care ()
Based on the latest available data—I am sure the hon. Gentleman
will welcome this—one-year survival rates for all cancers
combined are at a record high, with an increase from 63.6% to
73.9%, and the five-year survival rate for all cancers combined
has increased from 45.7% to 54.6%.
To ensure the best cancer outcomes, patients need to start
treatment as soon as they can. But in the latest data the
Minister addresses, the number of those who waited for more than
two weeks to see a specialist set a new record high for the third
month running, soaring to more than 55,000 people in November,
prior to the peak of this wave. Macmillan Cancer Supports states
that more than 31,000 people in England are still waiting for
their first cancer treatment, which will not do. When will the
Government publish a properly resourced, properly staffed
national recovery plan for cancer care?
I reassure the hon. Gentleman that cancer has been an absolute
priority throughout this pandemic, and treatment and services
have continued. I thank all those working in cancer care for
making sure that has happened. Ninety-five per cent. of people
started treatment within a month of diagnosis throughout the
pandemic, and there have been more than 4 million urgent
referrals and 960,000 people receiving cancer treatment during
that time.
(Ilford North) (Lab)
Geoff Cosgrave was admitted to hospital in mid-November with
kidney cancer that had spread through his lymph nodes and lungs.
Last week, his wife Glynis contacted me in desperation because he
was unable to access treatment to clear the blockage in his lungs
as the thoracic ward at the nearby hospital had closed because of
staffing shortages. After frantic and desperate chasing by his
family and NHS staff, he was finally admitted to Bristol Royal
Infirmary last week, but unfortunately his condition had
deteriorated so he could not receive treatment. Geoff died on
Friday and I am sure the whole House will want to send their
deepest condolences to Geoff’s family. [Hon. Members: “Hear,
hear.”] Glynis wants me to place on record her family’s enormous
thanks to the NHS staff who cared for Geoff, and to ask the
Minister what the Government are doing to address the serious
understaffing in the NHS, and the covid pressures that are having
an impact on cancer care, so that no family has to suffer what
the Cosgrave family are experiencing right now.
I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question. I put on record—I am
sure this is shared by the whole House—our sympathy for Geoff and
his family. There is no doubt that despite cancer being a
priority throughout the pandemic, there have been pressures on
the system. I again thank the staff, as Geoff’s family have, for
carrying on throughout. I want to reassure the hon. Gentleman
that the NHS is focusing on recovering cancer services to
pre-pandemic levels; an additional £2 billion of funding was made
available to the NHS and there were 44,000 more staff from
October 2020. We are absolutely committed to getting back on
track for pre-pandemic levels. Cancer has always been a priority.
That is no comfort to Geoff and his family, but hopefully they
can be assured that we are doing all we can.
Topical Questions
(Rhondda) (Lab)
T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental
responsibilities.(905065)
The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care ()
Eight weeks ago, when this House last met for Health and Social
Care questions, the world had not even heard of the omicron
variant; but a third of the total number of UK covid-19 cases
have been recorded since then. The action the Government have
taken in response to omicron, and the collective efforts of the
British people, have seen us become the most boosted and tested
country in Europe, and the country with the most antivirals per
head in Europe. That is why we are the most open country in
Europe. I have always said that the restrictions should not stay
in place a day longer than is absolutely necessary. Due to those
pharmaceutical defences and the likelihood of our having already
reached the peak of case numbers and hospitalisations, I am
cautiously optimistic that we will be able to substantially
reduce measures next week. The best thing we can all do to
continue that progress is get boosted now.
May I put on record my gratitude to the Secretary of State for
all the help he provided to my constituents before Christmas? He
went beyond the call of duty, and I am very grateful to him.
The aftershock is often worse than the earthquake. My anxiety
about covid is that it was the earthquake, but we still have the
aftershock to come—that is, all the problems in cancer care, and
the lack of doctors in emergency medicine, as well as in so many
other disciplines. How will we make sure that the 6 million
people on waiting lists get the care that they really need, and
that the number does not grow over the next few months?
The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right to raise this issue, and I
thank him for his comments at the start. We all know, as we have
just heard from the Under-Secretary of State for Health and
Social Care, my hon. Friend the Member for Lewes (), that the NHS in
particular and social care have been under huge pressure; I think
it has been the most challenging time in their history. Everyone
has performed in a way that we can all be proud of. Despite that,
we have seen a huge rise in electives, and I think that the
number will go higher before it goes lower, because so many
people stayed away when they were asked to. I want them to come
forward. I want them to know that the NHS is open for them. We
will support it with a bigger workforce and more investment,
including the £36 billion of extra investment from the new NHS
and social care levy.
(Telford) (Con)
T4. Delays in cancer diagnosis and treatment have had tragic
consequences for some of my constituents. What is my right hon.
Friend doing to improve cancer survival rates?(905068)
My hon. Friend raises an issue that is very close to my heart,
and the hon. Member for Rhondda () rightly raised it a moment
ago, too. The pandemic has exposed huge health disparities in
this country. It is clear to me that we need to go much further
on cancer, not only to catch up on cancer referrals, diagnosis
and treatment and radical innovation, but to improve the
persistently poor outcomes that patients in this country have
long experienced compared to those in other countries. It is time
we launched a war on cancer. I am working on a new vision to
radically improve the outcome for cancer patients across the
United Kingdom, and I will have more to say on that in due
course.
(Ilford North) (Lab)
Keeping the Secretary of State on the subject of cancer, half of
all patients with suspected breast cancer are not seen within the
recommended two weeks. In two months, the number of patients who
were not able to see a specialist in the target period has gone
from 5,000 to 23,000—a far steeper increase than for all other
forms of cancer—so I ask the Secretary of State: has breast
cancer care been deprioritised?
Of course it has not been deprioritised. No cancer has been
deprioritised. As the House has heard again today, we have seen
an impact on healthcare across the country because of this
terrible pandemic, including, sadly, on cancer care. Whether we
are talking about breast cancer or other forms of cancer, they
all remain a priority, including during the omicron wave; the NHS
has made it absolutely clear that cancer remains a priority. As I
said—I hope the hon. Gentleman agrees—we need to do more on
cancer. I know that he cares deeply about this; he is right to
have raised it twice in the past hour, and I hope that he will
work with the Government on it.
I am going to raise it a third time, because it is very clear
that breast cancer care is worse than care for other forms of
cancer. The Secretary of State needs to account for that and tell
us what he will do about it. On cancer more broadly, it is not
good enough to return to the situation pre-pandemic, because as
much as he wants to blame covid pressures for delays in cancer
treatment, we went into the pandemic with waiting lists at 4.5
million, and with staff shortages of 100,000 in the NHS and of
112,000 in social care, which impacted on broader NHS
performance. Where is the plan to fix the workforce challenge in
the NHS? That is the biggest single challenge that will impact on
his mission—the mission we all share—to improve cancer outcomes
for everyone in the country.
The hon. Gentleman will know that survival rates from cancer were
increasing before the pandemic, but as I think the whole House
understands, the pandemic has had an impact on all other types of
healthcare, including cancer. This is a challenge throughout the
United Kingdom. He talks about waits for breast cancer treatment;
those are longer in Wales, so this is an issue throughout the UK.
It is right that we continue to focus on the workforce. We have
44,000 more health workers than we did in October 2020, and we
will continue to build on that.
(St Ives) (Con)
T5. Vast numbers of children and adults right across Cornwall
cannot get access to an NHS dentist. That is not about funding,
covid or even a lack of dentists; it is just that the contract
under which they work is no longer fit for purpose. Next year,
the responsibility for dentistry comes to Cornwall. Could we
perhaps have a statement from the Minister about how we can
reform that contract, which no longer works and keeps dentistry
away from people who need it?(905069)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social
Care ()
My hon. Friend gets to the nub of the problem. The 2006 contract,
which was introduced under the last Labour Government and is
dependent on UDAs—units of dental activity—creates perverse
disincentives for dentists to take on NHS work. We are already
starting work on reforming that.
(Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
(SNP)
We will not globally defeat covid if large proportions of the
global population do not have access to vaccinations. The UK is
one of a small number of countries blocking the TRIPS—
trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights—waiver.
Will the UK Government stop blocking the vaccine intellectual
property waiver, and allow nations to manufacture the vaccines
themselves?
The hon. Gentleman is right about the importance of helping the
whole world to acquire these life-saving vaccines. That is why
the UK can be proud of the more than 30 million vaccines that it
has delivered to developing countries already. We will meet our
commitment to increase that to 100 million by June, but we do not
agree with the suggestion about the TRIPS waiver, because it will
make future access to life-saving vaccines much more
difficult.
(Berwickshire, Roxburgh and
Selkirk) (Con)
T6. I was delighted by the recent announcement of £50 million for
motor neurone disease research, which my constituent Doddie Weir
campaigned for tirelessly. Will the Secretary of State update the
House on the steps being taken to allocate those funds, and to
ensure that is done as quickly as possible, as time is of the
essence for MND sufferers?(905070)
My hon. Friend is right to raise that point, and I commend him on
the fantastic work that he has done in leading this campaign. We
were delighted to announce £50 million of funding for MND
research. That will support a new MND research unit, which has
already started work to co-ordinate research applications, and a
new MND partnership, which will be formed to pool expertise
across the research community.
(Chesham and Amersham) (LD)
T2. Last week, the Royal College of Physicians reported that one
in five doctors felt “overwhelmed almost every day”. One doctor
in my constituency told me that every single member of staff at
their surgery was either receiving counselling, on
antidepressants or signed off work with stress, compounded by
what they perceived as GP-bashing in the media. With that in
mind, may I ask the Secretary of State what steps his Department
is taking to protect the mental health of GPs and NHS
workers?(905066)
The hon. Lady is right to raise that issue. Healthcare workers
have been under significant pressure, especially over the past
two years, and of course that applies to GPs. The support we have
provided through the winter access fund—the £250 million—is there
to help GPs’ surgeries across the country, including with their
workforce.
(Eastbourne) (Con)
T7. My hospital trust is looking to redesign ophthalmology and
cardiology services across its two hospitals, Eastbourne District
General Hospital and Conquest Hospital in Hastings. The trust
puts forward an important clinical case for the change, but given
the realities—the road, the distance and the public transport
options, which mean that it can be a journey of two hours via two
buses for the one in four households in Eastbourne that do not
have a car—any change can present a real problem and create
issues for local people. Ahead of his visit to Eastbourne, will
my hon. Friend the Minister meet me here to discuss this vital
question of access to hospital services?(905071)
The Minister for Health ()
I am grateful to my hon. Friend. Public consultation on the
reconfiguration in East Sussex was launched on 6 December last
year and will close on 11 March. She is right to highlight access
and transport links as a key factor in such decisions, and I
would of course be delighted to meet her.
(Dundee West) (SNP)
T3. Only 9% of people in low-income countries have received one
vaccine dose. The UK Government have delivered less than one
third of their pledged contributions to COVAX. Given that no one
is safe until everyone is safe, what assessment has the Secretary
of State made of the risk to public health from emerging variants
from the unvaccinated worldwide, and will he ensure that all
doses pledged will be delivered to COVAX by the end of
June?(905067)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social
Care ()
From the start of the pandemic, the UK has worked to support
equitable access to covid-19 vaccines. It helped to establish the
international joint procurement initiative COVAX, which supports
higher and lower-income countries in securing the vaccines they
need. As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has
indicated, we are committed to delivering 100 million doses by
mid-June; we had delivered more than 30 million by the end of
2021. The UK leads the way on variants through the UK Health
Security Agency, and we are willing to progress that technology
throughout the world.
(Truro and Falmouth)
(Con)
T8. Building the women’s and children’s hospital at the Royal
Cornwall Hospital was a key promise of this Government, and the
Secretary of State’s predecessor was very supportive of it. Will
my hon. Friend reaffirm the Department’s commitment to the
building and agree to meet me to ensure that everything is done
to get this vital project delivered on time?(905072)
We remain fully committed to the delivery of the important new
women’s and children’s hospital in Truro for the Royal Cornwall
Hospitals NHS Trust as part of our new hospital programme. My
right hon. Friend the Secretary of State remains committed to it,
and of course I would be delighted to meet my hon. Friend.
Chi Onwurah (Newcastle upon Tyne Central) (Lab)
T10. I hope you are watching “Geordie Hospital”, Mr Speaker—the
Channel 4 series that follows the talented, highly skilled,
dedicated and wonderfully witty staff of Newcastle upon Tyne
Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. As we enter our third pandemic
year, after a decade of under-investment and low pay, and with
staff shortages, absences and NHS waiting lists all rising, I
hope that the Secretary of State recognises that what NHS staff
need, as well as a great sense of humour, is a long-term
workforce plan. Will he bring one forward?(905074)
First, I commend everyone working in the Newcastle hospitals
trust and across the NHS for everything they are doing. The hon.
Lady is right to talk about the importance of the workforce—that
is why we have asked Health Education England to come up with a
15-year workforce framework—but she knows that the resources that
the NHS has make a big difference, and it would have helped if
she had supported the Government’s record investment of £36
billion over the next three years in the NHS and social care.
(Southport) (Con)
T9. Can my right hon. Friend tell the House how he is making it
easier for transport workers, who are disproportionately
under-vaccinated, to get their jabs and get this country
moving?(905073)
We are intent on making vaccines as accessible as possible, so
there are now more vaccination sites than at any point in the
programme. They operate 12 hours a day, seven days a week where
possible, including at hundreds of walk-in and pop-up sites. In
every community, there should be slots available at least 16
hours a day; in some places, that is extended to 24 hours a day
to support workers such as those in the transport sector, who
often work unsociable hours.
(Liverpool, Walton) (Lab)
The Secretary of State has introduced guidance for essential care
givers so that family members can visit loved ones in care homes.
Is he considering going further to guarantee the right to visit
residents in care homes and patients in hospitals?
The Minister for Care and Mental Health ()
The hon. Member makes a very good point. It is important that
people get the right to visit their loved ones in care homes.
That is why we have introduced guidance that says that essential
care givers should get access to care homes at all points, even
during outbreaks. There is a process, which the Care Quality
Commission manages, for reporting those that do not comply, but
if there are specific examples, I am very happy for him to write
to me with details and I will follow it up.
Mr Speaker
I call the Chair of the Health and Social Care Committee.
(South West Surrey) (Con)
This morning, the Health Secretary is reported in The Times as
saying that the NHS can learn from the way in which academy
chains are regulated, but he will know that the education system
has no national targets, while the NHS uses more national targets
than any healthcare system anywhere in the world. Will he look at
the role of targets and the risk that they focus managers on
bureaucratic numbers, sometimes at the expense of quality of care
for patients?
I very much agree with my right hon. Friend; as the whole House
knows, he speaks with considerable experience. We need to do
things differently, especially as a result of the pandemic and
the challenges that it has created. That requires reform, and we
will set out further reforms in due course. He is absolutely
right about targets: they can play an important role, but they
can also lead to poor outcomes for patients, and all targets need
to be properly reviewed.
(Barnsley Central) (Lab)
Sheffield’s Weston Park Cancer Centre is one of just four
specialist cancer facilities in the country, but it desperately
needs a £50 million upgrade, as the Secretary of State will know
because I raised the matter with his predecessor and wrote to the
Secretary of State in October and again just last week. Will he
urgently respond to the proposal, which is vital for cancer
outcomes in South Yorkshire?
We will endeavour to respond swiftly, but if the hon. Gentleman
would like to meet me about capital funding for those sorts of
projects, I am always happy to meet him.
(Ashfield) (Con)
Now then: the Health Secretary will be aware that King’s Mill
Hospital in Ashfield was built under a disastrous private finance
initiative deal under the last Labour Government. It now costs us
about £1 million a week to service the debt—money that could be
spent on social care in Ashfield. Will he meet me to discuss how
we can rid my trust of this crippling debt of £1 million a week
and spend it on social care?
My hon. Friend is absolutely right to highlight the impact of yet
another of Labour’s disastrous PFIs on the funding available to
our NHS, and indeed to social care. We continue to work hard to
deliver our manifesto commitment to improve on those disastrous
PFI schemes. I am very happy to meet him to discuss the
matter.
(Luton South) (Lab)
Just last month, Luton lost an outstanding champion in the other
place with the sad passing of Lord Bill McKenzie of Luton. Just
21 months previously, he had been diagnosed with pulmonary
fibrosis.
Last week I met the chair of the Pulmonary Fibrosis Trust, one of
my constituents in Luton South, who told me that there is no
current cure for the disease and that for most people there is no
known cause. Will the Secretary of State outline what steps his
Department is taking to support research into a cure and to
improve diagnosis, support and care for people living with
pulmonary fibrosis?
I thank the hon. Lady for raising the matter in the House.
Pulmonary fibrosis is a very serious condition. Far too many
people suffer from it, and there needs to be more research
globally—not just here in the UK, but working with our
international partners. I will bring the matter to the attention
of my officials and see what more we can do.
Sir (Scarborough and Whitby)
(Con)
Sadly, the situation in Scarborough and Whitby for patients
seeking a new NHS dentist is no better than that in St Ives, with
thousands of UDAs going unused. Dentists tell me that it would
help to have a date for the end of the UDA system so that they
could start recruiting staff and, in some cases, building new
premises to deliver NHS dentistry to local people.
My right hon. Friend is correct. As I said earlier, the
disastrous contract of 2006 is causing disincentives for NHS
dentists to take on NHS work. I assure my right hon. Friend,
however, that dental services in Scarborough are currently being
commissioned by NHS England following the handing back of dental
regional accountability. Procurement processes are in place, and
a new practice is set to be in place by the summer.
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