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Health and Social Care Winter Update 2025-01-15
15 January 2025
Lead MP
The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
Debate Type
Ministerial Statement
Tags
NHSEmployment
Other Contributors: 28
At a Glance
The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care raised concerns about health and social care winter update 2025-01-15 in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Government Statement
Today, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care announces a statement addressing winter pressures in the NHS. He begins by expressing condolences to the nurse who was stabbed at Royal Oldham Hospital and acknowledges the efforts of NHS staff under challenging circumstances. The statement highlights that this winter has seen record numbers of patients waiting long hours in A&E departments, with many placed on trolleys due to overcrowding. Factors such as severe cold snaps, high flu cases (5,100 hospitalised), and respiratory infections have led to significant staffing issues. Despite these challenges, the Government has taken actions including immediate financial investment (£1 billion additional funding announced by Chancellor), introduction of RSV vaccine (over 1 million vaccinated so far), and negotiations ending junior doctors' strike with a new deal for resident doctors. Specific measures include recruiting more GPs (£100 million to recruit 1,000 GPs) and increasing funding for general practice (£889 million). Additional social care support includes £3.7 billion extra funding for local authorities and improvements in home adaptations (7,800 this year and next). The statement concludes with a commitment to address corridor care and improve overall patient experience.
Edward Argar
Con
Melton and Syston
Question
Will the Secretary of State set out in more detail what he is doing to further drive vaccine rates and ensure that vaccines are available for all those who need and want them?
Edward Argar
Con
Melton and Syston
Question
Will the Secretary of State set out what support and additional resource is being offered not only to hospitals that have reached the point of declaring critical incidents, but to others that continue to face pressures?
Edward Argar
Con
Melton and Syston
Question
Will the Secretary of State update the House on how many people currently in acute settings are fit for discharge but have not been discharged for a variety of reasons?
Edward Argar
Con
Melton and Syston
Question
The Secretary of State mentioned pay, and said that he had negotiated a deal. I say gently to him that what he did was not negotiation but capitulation to an inflation-busting pay rise.
Tooting
Question
Locally, there are 66,000 cases of people who have had to wait over 18 weeks for treatment. Does the Secretary of State agree that we need an urgent and emergency care plan to deliver much-needed year-on-year improvements?
Minister reply
I wholeheartedly agree with my hon. Friend's call for an urgent and emergency care plan aimed at delivering continuous year-on-year improvements in NHS services. This plan is currently being developed, learning from this winter's experiences to better prepare for future challenges.
Helen Morgan
LD
North Shropshire
Question
Will the Secretary of State commit to introducing faster and more detailed reporting about the live state of play in our emergency departments, including the number of critical incidents and the temporary escalation spaces? Will he publish information showing the impact that delays are having?
Minister reply
We are already working closely with NHS England regional teams to address and mitigate issues identified within each declared critical incident. While we do not have a timeline for reporting detailed data on critical incidents, we continue to improve transparency around patient flow and care delays.
Melanie Ward
Lab
Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy
Question
The conditions at Victoria hospital, where paramedics have had to establish a makeshift ward outside due to ambulances queuing up outside A&E, are described as truly shocking. With the number of people presenting in December 2024 roughly similar to that in December 2019, but there has been an increase of almost 300% in those waiting over four hours at A&E. Does the Secretary of State agree this is a dreadful indictment of 18 years of SNP rule?
Minister reply
The conditions described are truly shocking and highlight the urgent need for action. The Scottish Government has received additional funding, but they must use it effectively to improve NHS performance in Scotland.
Layla Moran
LD
Oxford West and Abingdon
Question
Pressing on data points, multiple organisations call for more transparency. Will the Secretary of State commit to releasing that data before the NHS England board meeting on 4 February? What assessment has he made of winter's impact on less urgent care and elective waiting lists?
Minister reply
While I cannot commit to publishing those statistics ahead of the next NHS England board, we will review the rhythm and pace at which performance data is published. We have seen effective protection of elective activity throughout this winter.
Rachael Maskell
Lab/Co-op
York Central
Question
Triaging patients into virtual wards can protect the front door of the NHS and be better for patients. What is being done to hold integrated care boards accountable, ensuring they put money into primary care instead of secondary care?
Minister reply
Since coming into office, this Government has been walking the talk on primary care with an immediate release of funding for 1,000 GPs and an £889 million uplift in funding for general practice.
Joe Robertson
Con
Isle of Wight East
Question
Social care has a crucial role in taking pressure off hospitals. Why will it take three years for action on social care? Please put pressure on the review.
Minister reply
We have seen significant actions on social care, including the biggest expansion of carer’s allowance since the 1970s and legislation for fair pay agreements. Baroness Casey's report next year will set out required reforms throughout this Parliament.
Deirdre Costigan
Lab
Ealing Southall
Question
A young man came to my constituency surgery desperate for a GP appointment due to hours of queuing on the phone. How is the Secretary of State continuing to work to undo the Conservatives’ failure to fix the GP crisis, which fuels winter pressure?
Minister reply
The challenge caused by Conservative failures in general practice has placed pressure not just on stretched GPs but on other parts of the system. We are seeking to overturn this legacy by addressing patient needs and reducing costs for taxpayers.
Greg Smith
Con
Mid Buckinghamshire
Question
Last week, UK Health Security Agency warned of elderly people suffering from heart attacks, strokes, and chest infections due to severe cold weather. Is the Secretary of State closer to admitting taking away winter fuel payments was not just cruel but life-threatening?
Minister reply
It is inaccurate to suggest that winter fuel payments were taken away. The Government has protected these payments for eligible households and provided additional support measures such as warm home discounts.
Robert Jenrick
Con
Question
May I thank the Secretary of State for making ending strikes his first priority and for finding a deal with junior doctors within three weeks, thus ensuring that staff would be on the frontline this winter instead of being on strike lines? He called the junior doctors and found a deal within three weeks, ending the strikes. For the first winter in three years, staff will be on the frontline, not the picket line.
Minister reply
Thank you for your appreciation. The Government’s immediate focus was indeed to resolve the strikes swiftly so as to alleviate pressure on healthcare services and ensure that all staff are available for patient care.
Andrew George
Lib Dem
St Ives
Question
I accept that the Government is clearly not the architect of the current unacceptable state of affairs, but may I encourage the Secretary of State to reflect again on our exchange at the Health and Social Care Committee just a month ago when he resisted the recommendation of the president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine that we invest in more beds to accommodate additional admissions to hospital?
Minister reply
Throughout the winter, NHS providers have continued to flex bed capacity to meet demand. However, our approach focuses on system-wide improvements through investment and reform aimed at breaking out of the annual cycle of winter crises.
Peter Prinsley
Lab
Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket
Question
Winter pressures have caused the cancellation of thousands of operations, including many of my own lists. Does the Secretary of State agree that the opening of the dedicated Clare Marx surgical centre in Colchester is an extremely welcome development?
Minister reply
I thank my hon. Friend for his question and expertise. The Clare Marx Surgical Centre is indeed a welcome development in shifting care towards community settings, enhancing elective recovery and reducing pressure on hospital services.
Nick Timothy
Con
West Suffolk
Question
Research shows that ambulance response times in Haverhill in my constituency are twice those in Cambridge. We would like a new, co-located and purpose-built blue-light facility; the police and the ambulance service could use it to serve the town effectively, and it would hopefully save money. May I invite a Minister from the Department to come to Haverhill to meet me, the East of England ambulance service, Suffolk police and local councillors to discuss those plans?
Minister reply
I confirm that we are up for looking at co-location of different public services to deliver both better integration and cooperation between different services and better value for taxpayers. I will ensure that one of my ministerial colleagues makes contact with the hon. Gentleman.
Preet Kaur Gill
Lab Co-op
Birmingham Edgbaston
Question
The Health Secretary will know that University Hospitals Birmingham in my constituency recently declared a critical incident, which I welcome as it is exactly what we want. What plans are there to extend the roll-out of vaccines to those aged 80 and above?
Minister reply
We follow advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). We will review experience this winter, and JCVI will review evidence and data this winter and make recommendations, which we will take into account.
Hitchin
Question
The dire state that the last Government left the NHS in was all too apparent tragically to many of my constituents who needed it last winter. My 85-year-old constituent had to wait over 30 hours in a chair because there were no beds available, and they were far from alone in that indignity and prolonged suffering. What more will the Secretary of State do to ensure that next winter, many more of my constituents are not suffering from the same challenges?
Minister reply
I want year-on-year improvement in NHS performance, particularly our response to winter pressures. The system should be resilient enough to withstand pressures in any given winter; it will take time to get back there but we are already planning for next winter, learning from experience.
Joshua Reynolds
Lib Dem
Maidenhead
Question
One thing we could do to improve the situation in Maidenhead is to reopen the walk-in urgent care centre at St Mark’s hospital so that we can keep people out of the big hospitals and A&E. Will he meet me to discuss how we can work together to get the walk-in urgent care centre at St Mark’s back open?
Minister reply
I welcome the hon. Member’s question, agreeing with the need for healthcare to shift from hospital into the community. Local NHS leaders should configure services locally; I encourage him to be in touch with his local integrated care board.
Kevin McKenna
Lab
Sittingbourne and Sheppey
Question
I associate myself with comments about the nursing colleague who was so brutally attacked in Oldham. Improving staff pay and NHS plan made a difference under Labour. What else has my right hon. Gentleman learned from the successes of his forebears about tackling this winter crisis now and such crises in future?
Minister reply
I am bringing modernising tradition to our approach, combining investment and reform for results as seen with shortest waiting times and highest patient satisfaction under previous Labour governments.
Lisa Smart
Lib Dem
Hazel Grove
Question
The Secretary of State will know that Stepping Hill hospital in Hazel Grove has a repairs backlog reported to be £130 million. Following the Budget, when should we expect clarity on funding per hospital so that my constituents and Stepping Hill patients get the hospital they deserve?
Minister reply
We are committed to addressing infrastructure issues; however, specifics regarding funding allocations will be communicated through local integrated care boards.
Richard Tice
Reform
Boston and Skegness
Question
The two GP surgeries that I visited in Skegness just before Christmas are concerned that the impact of the national insurance increases on their staffing budgets will be around £100,000 per surgery, which will force them to reduce staffing capacity and, therefore, appointment capacity. What will the Secretary of State do to help those GP surgeries in that situation? There seems to be a conflict between the sensible aspiration and the practical reality.
Minister reply
There are 889 million reasons why GPs should be reassured about their financial sustainability for the year ahead—the £889 million allocation for general practice that I spelled out before Christmas, to provide reassurance to GPs when planning for the financial year ahead. I have been heartened by the response from GPs to that announcement, and I gently say to people who criticise the means of raising it that without the decisions that the Chancellor took in the Budget, we would not be able to invest £26 billion in our health and care services.
Laurence Turner
Lab
Birmingham Northfield
Question
I echo the Secretary of State’s comments and those of my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham Edgbaston on recognising the endeavours of health and care staff during last week’s extremely difficult critical incidents, and I also recognise the effect of contingency planning that had taken place, including the provision of additional beds at West Heath hospital in my constituency. With respect to the central support the Secretary of State referred to, is he willing to make summaries of the support provided by NHS England to local trusts this year and in previous years?
Minister reply
I would be very happy to write to my hon. Friend to set out the support provided by NHS England to health and care services for his community, and I would be delighted to receive via him feedback from his health and care providers about what Government support they would like next winter and in future years.
Clive Jones
LD
Wokingham
Question
The Secretary of State has a really tough job of clearing up the mess left in the NHS by the Conservatives, but some of the Royal Berkshire hospital estate is not fit for purpose and especially not fit to cope with the winter crisis. Can he confirm that a proper level of funding will be available to rebuild the Royal Berkshire hospital and that there will be no increase in the seven-year delay announced by the Conservatives in April this year? That will help with future winter crises.
Minister reply
I will take that as another representation from the hon. Gentleman on the new hospital programme, and I reassure him we will be setting out our review and its conclusions shortly.
Sally Jameson
Lab/Co-op
Doncaster Central
Question
As part of making the NHS fit for the future, moving some patient care from hospital to the community will be pivotal. In Doncaster, mayor Ros Jones and the council are already well on the way with this and they are setting up “Health on the High Street”, which is good not just for patients but for footfall in the city centre. Will my right hon. Friend set out what his Department is doing to support areas such as Doncaster in delivering on this strategy?
Minister reply
I am delighted to hear of the work Ros is doing as mayor to support health and care services and to take health and care to where people are.
Mid Sussex
Question
I fear that corridor care has already become normalised and, as the Secretary of State says, it will be some time before we get back on the right path. This week there have been reports of a north London hospital advertising for dedicated corridor care nurses. I also think about my constituent who is a doctor at the Royal Sussex begging X-ray teams to give her a consultation room so she does not have to do intimate exams out in the corridor. What reassurance can the Secretary of State give the NHS workforce that things are going to get better?
Minister reply
I want to reassure her, the House and patients across the country that this Government will not accept corridor care as normal care. We will not tolerate it as being acceptable care. We will do everything we can as fast as we can to consign corridor care to the history books.
Richard Quigley
Lab
Isle of Wight West
Question
Despite the Conservative party’s best efforts to ruin our NHS, will the Secretary of State join me in paying tribute to the hard-working NHS and social care staff in my constituency who, despite enormous winter pressure, are doing their best to go above and beyond to provide exceptional care and keep the NHS on its feet?
Minister reply
I thank staff on the Isle of Wight for everything they are doing to support communities across the island against a challenging backdrop. Since my hon. Friend arrived in the House he has been an extremely strong, loud and effective voice for the people of his constituency and across the Isle of Wight.
Shadow Comment
Edward Argar
Shadow Comment
The shadow Secretary of State begins by expressing condolences to the nurse attacked at Royal Oldham Hospital. He acknowledges the growing severity of winter pressures in the NHS since before Christmas, citing unacceptably long A&E wait times and corridor care issues. Argar asks for more details on driving flu vaccine uptake despite lower rates compared to last year. He queries about support and additional resources being offered to hospitals declaring critical incidents and enquires about the number of people fit for discharge but not discharged due to social care delays. The shadow also criticises recent pay deals as inflation-busting capitulation.
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