Health and Social Care

Asked about the Labour party's position on Dilnot proposals and the cap on care costs.

Inquired whether the Labour Party is ready to engage in cross-party talks before a new leader is elected, highlighting urgency of social care problems. He questioned if there could be progress without waiting for another Leader of the Opposition.

Asked about support for a social insurance system akin to Germany's proposed by House of Commons Committee, in contrast to Labour’s stance on free personal care and integration between health and social care.

Mr Ashworth discusses the need to roll out medical examiners across NHS trusts and calls for an update on the situation at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust. He raises concerns over staffing levels, noting a shortage of 44,000 nurses in England since 2010 and criticises the Secretary of State's figure for new nurses.

Ms Johnson interjects to challenge Mr Ashworth on his figures regarding nurse vacancies, citing a report that suggests many of these positions are occupied by bank staff who choose their working model.

The Secretary of State emphasises long-term funding settlement legislation, plans for new hospitals and upgrades across the NHS. He also mentions addressing issues with doctors' pensions.

He inquires about specific hospital plans, praising investment in Harlow's new hospital.

The MP requests a meeting to discuss capital investment issues for the Halton hospital campus and seeks assurances of delivery for northern constituencies like his own.

He thanks the Secretary of State for addressing the NHS pensions issue and urges doctors' leaders to accept compromise. He also highlights the importance of rebuilding rotas for patient care.

Expressed disappointment over the lack of plans for a new hospital in Wycombe but emphasised the importance of transforming NHS, social care and council services through digital means.

Agreed with Steven Baker's point about digital transformation being crucial. Announced plans for increased capacity and infrastructure improvements in hospitals, including a new cancer unit at Milton Keynes hospital to address temporary treatment issues. Mentioned ongoing review of potential locations for new hospitals in Hertfordshire. Acknowledged the need for more research funding into tinnitus and expressed willingness to work with John Hayes on it. Emphasised the importance of local hubs between primary and secondary care, highlighting Royston as an example. Announced plans for 40 new hospitals over the decade, 50,000 more nurses, 6,000 more doctors in primary care, and 50 million additional GP appointments.

Expressed gratitude for the Secretary of State's visit to Milton Keynes and raised concerns about temporary radiology and radiotherapy treatment issues. Mentioned that a new cancer unit will resolve these problems.

Expressed dissatisfaction with the location of the proposed new hospital in Watford, near a football stadium, and asked for a review to explore alternative locations.

Asked about research funding into tinnitus and requested news that could be shared with constituents. Matthew Hancock agreed to look at the case for increased research funding into tinnitus and suggested a meeting with the Lords Minister.

Discussed plans for NHS hubs for social care and health in primary care. Asked about Royston and supported the vision of more local and specialist services.

The MP inquires about whether the social care plan will address both older people and working-age adults separately.

Responds to Mark Harper by confirming that proposals for social care cover both groups, stressing the importance of cross-party discussion in formulating solutions.

Raises concerns about pregnant migrant women facing NHS charges, potentially deterring them from seeking treatment, leading to serious health risks including deaths. She calls for a review of the charging regime.

Agrees to look into Kate Green's concerns and commits to ensuring people are not deterred from seeking treatment due to fear of charges, emphasising the fairness in contributions but addressing the need for clarity.

Challenges Hancock on delays in social care reform plans and requests a clear timeframe from the Government to present their proposals.

Responds by acknowledging the willingness for cross-party discussions, noting that the Minister for Care has written to Barbara Keeley post-election but received no reply. He commits to working towards a consensus and highlights key measures in the Queen's Speech.

Asks for assurances regarding blood cancer focus within the long-term plan on the cancer strategy.

Confirms that blood cancers are prioritised in the long-term plan, noting improvements in survival rates for most cancers.

Emphasises the need to integrate health and social care services beyond just funding issues to improve service delivery for patients.

Agrees that integrating health and social care is crucial, highlighting the complexity of the issue and the Prime Minister's commitment to a plan this year.

Requests a commitment from Hancock regarding the availability of Kuvan for PKU treatment, noting its availability since 2012.

Commits to meeting Liz Twist to discuss making progress on securing Kuvan's availability.

Asks about the role of the medicines and medical devices Bill in supporting new treatments for reducing antimicrobial resistance.

Explains that the Bill aims to ease hospital participation in trials, promoting access to cutting-edge medicines including personalised ones.

Expressed willingness to collaborate with local MPs and the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital on improving ambulance response times. Welcomed Northern Ireland's new ministerial team and pledged to work collaboratively across the Union to address health challenges in Northern Ireland, highlighting that waiting lists for operations are 10 times higher than in England despite a smaller population. Emphasised the importance of mental health reform within the £33.9 billion additional funding, aiming to improve services and modernise legislation including the Mental Health Act 1983.

Welcomed announcements made by the Secretary of State for health measures in Northern Ireland. Inquired about the work to be done with the newly appointed Minister in the Northern Ireland Assembly to ensure effective use of funding, highlighting the need for reforms due to lengthy waiting lists.

Asked the Secretary of State to reassure that he will speak to the Welsh Labour Government to avoid a recurrence of disagreements over paying for care at hospitals serving patients from north Wales, which had led to delayed or cancelled treatment.

Thanked his right hon. Friend for action on mental health and inquired about looking into smoking cessation products to see whether they can move people from smoking lit tobacco to a pathway to zero tobacco.

The NHS Funding Bill will enshrine in law the Government’s plan to give £33 billion extra per year by 2023-24. However, this is not new money but rather funds already promised in 2018 and does not represent significant transformation funding. Public health funding has been cut by £850 million, with deprived areas losing over a third of their central public health funding. The plan includes an extra £1 billion for social care but ignores the wider responsibilities of the Department of Health and Social Care. Despite Labour's role in introducing private healthcare companies into the NHS, it was the coalition Government’s Health and Social Care Act 2012 that created a full-blown market in NHS England, leading to debts of £2.5 billion within two years due to competitive pressures. Performance has declined significantly in A&E departments across all four nations this winter, with poor disease prevention rates and struggling primary care services contributing to more patients going to A&E while social care provision struggles, causing beds to be stuck for emergencies. The Government's plan lacks a concrete solution for social care reform. In contrast, the Scottish Government invests £276 more per head in health and social care, focusing on proactive measures like free prescriptions and personal care that help reduce hospital admissions and improve patient outcomes. The biggest challenge facing healthcare services is the workforce shortage aggravated by Brexit, with a 90% drop in EU nurses coming to the UK and a one-third increase leaving it. While the Government has promised 50,000 extra nurses, this will not cover existing vacancies and recruitment over five years will likely not close the gap. Promised investments in mental health support and early intervention are welcomed but remain insufficient for achieving parity of esteem. The Health Service Safety Investigations Bill is also welcome as it aims to improve learning from major incidents.

He discussed the need for a shift from a blame culture to a learning culture, citing personal stories of families affected by medical errors and the importance of WHO checklists. He emphasised that despite these measures, mistakes still occur, indicating the necessity of continuous improvement in patient safety.

She acknowledged her personal experience with sepsis loss and raised concerns about ongoing issues in hospitals despite progress made. She highlighted the need for continued attention to prevent further tragedies.

Asked a question regarding the introduction of WHO checklists during Jeremy Hunt's time as Secretary of State, challenging the assertion that such measures were already in place and questioning why they were not implemented more broadly.

I welcome any investment in our NHS but express concerns over a flawed consultation regarding St Helier Hospital. The latest proposals would downsize the hospital, leading to devastating impacts on local communities. I challenge every foundation this programme has been built upon and urge Ministers to step in before taxpayers' money is wasted.

I emphasise the importance of funding, innovative medicines, safety, and mental health within the NHS. My personal experience with lung cancer highlights the need for early diagnosis and treatment to reduce fear and improve survival rates. I advocate for better screening, awareness, and breaking stigmas around cancer.

I support the hon. Gentleman's focus on mental health issues among young cancer patients. The Teenage Cancer Trust highlights that only 61% of services are taken up in hospitals and just 40% afterwards, indicating a need to address these shortcomings for those experiencing anxiety due to cancer.

Pays tribute to NHS staff in Luton and Dunstable Hospital, criticises outsourcing of housekeeping services, highlights the impact of budget cuts on local government and early-years providers, emphasises community support for food banks and regeneration projects. She also discusses her personal connection with the NHS through her mother who is an immigrant nurse, and advocates for diversity and equality in Luton.

Ms Fiona Bruce congratulates the hon. Member for Luton North on her speech and welcomes the Government's commitment to level up opportunity across England, particularly in areas like Burnley. She emphasises the importance of strengthening families as a key component of building stronger communities, highlighting the Conservative manifesto’s pledge to improve the Troubled Families programme and champion family hubs. Ms Bruce argues that supporting families is crucial for addressing social issues such as mental health, housing provision, work absenteeism, and elderly care. She calls on the Government to be bold in tackling family breakdown, which disproportionately affects the young, the poorest, and the most vulnerable, leading to increased rates of depression, addiction, and other ailments. Ms Bruce suggests focusing on communities that feel left behind with high levels of poverty and street crime, and advocating for a Cabinet lead and an office for family policy. She also highlights the success of family hubs in providing comprehensive support services to parents, couples, and children.

Mr Murray emphasised his commitment to representing Ealing North, including investment in public services to prevent crime, affordable housing, a foreign policy avoiding war, and defending the NHS. He shared personal experiences with a neurological condition and how the NHS helped him recover. He also discussed local issues such as threatened closures of healthcare units and long waiting times in A&E departments.

I draw attention to my declaration in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests as a practising NHS psychiatrist. I praise the hon. Member for Ealing North's predecessor and wish the current member well in his duties. I commend the Secretary of State's comments on health investment, mental health provision, and finding political consensus on social care. However, I express concern over fragmentation of services due to market-driven approaches which has led to greater fragmentation and a lack of joined-up care for patients. Additionally, I highlight the importance of valuing NHS staff by addressing workforce challenges brought about by Brexit, improving staff training, recruitment and retention across different regions, learning from other healthcare systems like Australia's, focusing on community mental health services investment due to staffing crises, and considering how social care delivery needs improvement.

Called 'Order' to remind the speaker of the six-minute time limit. No further position or contribution was detailed in the provided text.

Ms Elliott discussed the pressing issue of eating disorders, noting that over a million people suffer from these conditions. She criticised the lack of specific mention in the Gracious Speech and highlighted poor staffing levels and delays in diagnosis and treatment as major issues. She also emphasised the need for early intervention, direct investment in NHS services, better training for medical professionals, more staff, and proper support in schools.

Ms Trott gave her maiden speech focusing on public service and highlighting the work of her predecessor, Sir Michael Fallon. She spoke about her constituency's greenery, businesses, and educational standards. Ms Trott also discussed the importance of the NHS, personal experiences with maternity care, and the need for social mobility through education.

I congratulate the hon. Member for Sevenoaks on her speech and discuss the important issue of suicide prevention, particularly in the construction industry where two workers die by suicide each day. The number of suicides has risen significantly despite increased focus on mental health services. Middle-aged men are at highest risk, but young people's rates are also rising. There is a need for more Government action to address socioeconomic factors contributing to suicide and self-harm. Local authorities must develop and follow through with suicide prevention plans and NHS funding needs to be increased.

I commend the high quality of speeches heard today, particularly those on social care issues within the health debate. I welcome the Government’s recognition of the urgency to solve social care problems and their cross-party approach. However, the current solution is merely a sticking plaster as more comprehensive solutions are needed regarding workforce, home adaptations, care homes, dementia patients, and funding. There needs to be careful consideration on where extra money will come from without compromising intergenerational fairness.

I support my right hon. Friend's arguments about the sustainability of social care, particularly emphasising that it must remain fair and affordable for younger generations entering the workforce who will need to fund their own future care needs as well as those of previous generations.

No extracted contribution text available for this contributor yet.

Shares her background as a child refugee and expresses gratitude for being elected to represent Enfield North. She pays tribute to her predecessor Joan Ryan and highlights the diversity of her constituency, including its cultural richness and economic disparities. Feryal emphasises the healthcare challenges faced by her constituents due to budget cuts, GP shortages, hospital downgrades, and reduced spending per head on healthcare. She calls for assurance from the government regarding the future of urgent care services in Chase Farm Hospital.

Doyle-Price emphasised the importance of leadership and behaviour in improving NHS performance, not just financial investment. She criticised the current reliance on locum staff leading to high vacancy rates and salary bills. She also advocated for a more holistic approach to healthcare delivery, including the involvement of the voluntary sector and empowering patients through mental health reforms.

Laing briefly mentioned Florence Eshalomi making her maiden speech.

Welcomed Florence Eshalomi's maiden speech on the NHS and knife crime. She called for urgent action on social care, highlighting that past promises have been delayed. The inquiry into social care must look at what works already and be ambitious in its approach. Integration between health and social care is another key issue needing more boldness. Mental health should be prioritised with clear definitions of parity of esteem and urgency to address the 23% burden on the NHS attributed to mental health.

Supported Anne Marie Morris's emphasis on integration and the use of community hospitals such as those in Honiton, Axminster, and Seaton. He believes these facilities could be used more effectively to alleviate pressure from acute hospitals.

Agreed with Neil Parish's point about community hospitals and called for a fundamental rethink of infrastructure in rural areas, especially where access to specialist care is limited. She also highlighted the need to utilise existing assets better.

Emphasised the importance of utilising community resources effectively, citing Scotland's example with community pharmacies and optometrists offering minor ailment services since 2005, reducing the need for emergency care.

Agrees with the hon. Lady that we need to look at people who deliver healthcare services and involve them appropriately. Emphasises the importance of new professions like physician associates, innovative use of IT in healthcare, and the critical need for a medicines and medical devices Bill. Concerned about whether NHS spending matches the increase in demand.

Describes her experience visiting vascular services at Hull Royal Infirmary, highlighting disparities between north and south England in terms of amputation rates. Emphasises the importance of updated equipment and facilities for dealing with vascular disease. Calls on Members to join an all-party group on vascular and venous disease and requests a meeting with the Minister to discuss challenges faced by Hull Royal Infirmary.

Recalls his maiden speech promise to address acute problems at Hemel Hempstead Hospital. Criticises Labour for closing acute facilities there and moving them to Watford, near a football club in a Victorian hospital. Argues that the proposed £400 million funding should go towards building a new hospital on a greenfield site in south-west Hertfordshire rather than refurbishing the existing site. Expresses frustration with lack of accountability from local health authorities and willingness to take legal action.

Ms. Marion Fellows emphasised the high satisfaction rates of healthcare in Scotland, noting that 95% of patients rated their cancer care positively and 86% found their in-patient experience satisfactory. She highlighted the SNP's initiatives such as abolishing prescription charges, increasing mental health funding by £15.3 million, and introducing a ministerial post dedicated to mental health. Ms. Fellows also pointed out that Scotland leads the UK by abolishing parking charges at hospitals, saving over £39 million since 2008. She compared Scotland's nursing student numbers with those in England, noting an increase of seven consecutive years versus a 30% drop. Furthermore, she commended the Scottish Government for introducing free personal care and paying the real living wage to NHS staff.

Pays tribute to new colleagues and expresses her happiness at representing Bishop Auckland. Emphasises the importance of local issues such as rural farming, broadband connectivity, high street pressures, healthcare provision, social mobility, and education opportunities for youth. Highlights personal experiences related to NHS services and violence prevention.

Congratulates Dehenna Davison on her maiden speech and discusses the need for a cross-party consensus on social care, education funding disparities, productivity gaps in the north-east, HS2 phase 2a, east coast main line improvements, domestic abuse Bill, animal welfare and sentencing Bill. Critiques the lack of detail in the Gracious Speech while welcoming certain measures.

Dean Russell expressed his gratitude to the people of Watford for electing him, paid tribute to his predecessor Richard Harrington's work on health and social issues, celebrated the cultural and economic contributions of Watford, emphasised the importance of community support, and called for an era of decisiveness in implementing positive changes.

Eleanor Laing thanked all those speaking today for their kindness towards maiden speech makers, announced a time limit of four minutes for non-maiden speeches and six minutes for maiden speeches.

Helen Hayes called for urgent reform in the social care system due to an unsustainable funding gap. She criticised the Government's recent funding announcement as insufficient, highlighting personal stories of constituents struggling with care home bills and inadequately trained staff. She also highlighted failures in delivering the transforming care programme.

Beresford highlighted the concerning statistics of child tooth decay, with over 45,000 children admitted to hospital due to tooth decay in the previous year. He emphasised that fluoridation of water supplies is the most effective method to reduce this issue but noted current legislation limits its implementation and could be improved by national legislation.

Callaghan, in her maiden speech, discussed the importance of health and social care, particularly focusing on the mental health impact of cancer diagnosis for young people. She thanked organisations like the Teenage Cancer Trust for their support during her own cancer journey and emphasised that normal life does not return after such a diagnosis.

It is a privilege to be back representing my constituency following an enforced absence. I thank those who voted for me, including first-time Labour voters. I pay tribute to Chris Ruane, my predecessor, and note that health issues were the most pressing concern during the election campaign. As an NHS doctor and spouse of an NHS nurse, I highlight the systemic failure in north Wales' healthcare system, particularly the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, which has been in special measures for over four years. I emphasise workforce challenges as a key issue affecting health service performance.

I am honoured to give my maiden speech and hope to inspire young women to follow in my footsteps. I discuss the local achievements of my predecessor, Sir Vince Cable, including his work with Homelink for dementia care and patronage of Shooting Star Children’s Hospice. I also mention ongoing campaigns against Heathrow expansion due to its environmental impact and support for Teddington Memorial Hospital's community services. I highlight concerns about access to mental health services, particularly child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS), with examples of long wait times experienced by constituents.

Made his maiden speech in the debate on health and social care, highlighting the need for more resources for Peterborough's local NHS services. He emphasised the importance of investing in a specialist university and seizing opportunities to become a national centre of excellence in engineering and agritech. Paul also stressed the significance of delivering NHS capacity, maintaining ambition in life sciences research, manufacturing, and adhering to NICE guidelines.

Critiqued the current state of health and social care services, citing cuts since 2010 and over 100,000 workforce vacancies as key issues. He pointed out the poor performance in A&E services against the four-hour standard and criticised the government's response for scrapping the target rather than fixing it. Mohammad also highlighted the inadequacy of social care provision, with delays affecting thousands who need care.

It is a privilege to stand here representing North West Norfolk, with a rich heritage dating back centuries. The constituency includes King's Lynn and its significant economic contributions, as well as a beautiful coastline. There are diverse challenges such as rural bus services, broadband access, flood risk, and educational outcomes that need addressing. Healthcare is paramount, especially the NHS investment, GP appointments, and mental health services. Support for putting NHS funding into legislation and welcoming initiatives like Pharmacy First is expressed. Concerns about closing GP surgeries and inadequate dental provision are raised. The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn is highlighted as needing capital investment to modernise and improve patient care.

Disappointed with the Queen's Speech for its insufficient attention to mental health, highlighting a 38% reduction in local services funding. Over a quarter of child referrals were rejected last year, and wait times have doubled the government’s target. The only early intervention counselling service in Birmingham has a median wait time of over three months. Urges genuine parity of esteem for mental health treatment and preventive measures. Asks the Minister to listen to those calling for more support for young people's mental health. Calls for a review of children's social care due to cuts, resulting in rising demand that local authorities struggle to meet.

Pays tribute to his predecessor Tom Brake for supporting same-sex marriage. Discusses the history of Carshalton and Wallington, highlighting its significance during the Roman and Tudor periods. Supports the Conservative government's £500 million investment in St Helier and Epsom hospitals, promising to work against local scaremongering to ensure the funding is used effectively. Emphasises that health is influenced by factors beyond hospital buildings such as housing, education, employment, and environment.

Recalls Labour's achievements in reducing waiting lists and improving A&E waiting times. Criticises the current government for abolishing the A&E waiting time target, resulting in longer wait times. Raises concerns about nurse recruitment due to the abolition of nursing bursaries and a shortage of GPs after abolishing golden pensions. Advocates for more provision for dentists as many face long waits for NHS dental care.

Celebrates the Government's programme, particularly focusing on healthcare advancements through engineering innovations. Supports the medicines and medical devices Bill to increase research investment and improve patient outcomes. Discusses the importance of diagnostic centres near Grantham Hospital for delivering high-volume, low-complexity services closer to home.

Mr. Graham emphasised the importance of recruiting foreign nurses and improving the pathway for home-grown nurses to become full nurses, suggesting partnerships between British universities and international institutions to train qualified nurses with British qualifications. He also suggested using national insurance as a ring-fenced fund for health and social care needs.

Ms. Keeley highlighted the crisis in social care and its impact on the NHS, citing data showing 1,400 patients stranded daily due to a lack of social care support. She urged the Government to address four key areas: funding, access to publicly funded care, capping care costs, and improving the care workforce conditions.

Mr. Edward Argar, the Conservative MP for Melton, highlighted the importance of NHS and social care in the debate, emphasising the contributions from Members on both sides. He praised maiden speakers like Dehenna Davison, Dean Russell, Amy Callaghan, Florence Eshalomi, Elliot Colburn, Munira Wilson, James Murray, Feryal Clark, Sarah Owen, Laura Trott, James Wild, and Paul Bristow for their dedication to their constituencies and the quality of their speeches. He also noted that under a Conservative majority government, substantial investment in health services is being made, including the longest and largest cash settlement in NHS history, ambitious hospital building programmes, new treatments and technologies, and efforts towards social care reform.