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Question
The shadow Secretary of State criticised the absence of the Health and Social Care Secretary, questioning whether further Cobra meetings were scheduled. He also asked about national heatwave emergency consequences, assessments for care homes during extreme weather, and additional support to A&Es during this period.
Minister reply
Maria Caulfield expressed disappointment at the political tone but noted that pressures in Wales are similar to those in England despite Labour's management of the NHS there. She highlighted improvements in England’s response times compared to falling numbers in Wales.
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Question
Pritchard thanked the Minister for her statement and emphasised that addressing A&E wait times requires collaboration between ambulance services, local authorities, and acute trusts. He highlighted the importance of integrated care boards in coordinating these efforts.
Minister reply
Maria Caulfield agreed with Pritchard’s points about the need for better coordination through ICBs and acknowledged the challenges posed by delayed discharges. She confirmed plans to meet every ICB in the coming days as part of winter preparation.
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Question
Asked the Minister to convene an urgent Cobra meeting to protect patients and paramedics due to high alert levels in ambulance services.
Minister reply
Responded with additional investment of over £150 million into ambulance services, highlighting efforts to integrate care for hospital bed release. Suggested collaboration across political parties.
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Question
Asked the Minister about progress on Government-funded improvements worth £15 million at Blackpool Victoria Hospital.
Minister reply
Agreed to meet him to discuss plans and acknowledged the urgency of these improvements. Discussed focus areas for capacity increase in A&E.
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Question
Complained about unfulfilled promises to meet a constituent who is an ambulance service whistleblower.
Minister reply
Explained that due to ongoing tribunal proceedings, the meeting could not be held immediately but was open post-tribunal.
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Question
Asked about efforts to address administrative blockages and delays for urgent treatments like strokes.
Minister reply
Noted that response times are targeted based on the urgency of calls, with an 18-minute target for stroke cases. Emphasised month-on-month improvements in performance.
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Question
Criticised the Minister's lack of mention about social care despite its known impact on delays.
Minister reply
Defended that social care and integrated care boards were mentioned, citing ongoing efforts to address delayed discharges and a plan for fixing social care.
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Question
Complimented the decision to keep Cheltenham's A&E open, linking it to addressing system demands.
Minister reply
Acknowledged the importance of capacity at A&E and willingness to meet ambulance trusts for best practices.
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Question
Asked about support measures following a constituent's cardiac arrest with a 90-minute wait time.
Minister reply
Acknowledged regional challenges and offered to meet her to discuss specific support.
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Question
Asked for clarification on month-on-month improvement claims, questioning the baseline comparison method.
Minister reply
Defended comparisons with previous years and months, noting increased calls compared to May 2019.
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Question
Criticised the Government for neglecting the NHS despite long waits and heatwave concerns.
Minister reply
Defended efforts including extra funding, workforce boosts, and capacity measures, noting similar pressures in other regions.
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Question
Critiqued the need for crisis-level intervention to secure Ministerial attention for longstanding issues.
Minister reply
Highlighted ongoing efforts such as extra funding and workforce support despite acknowledging periodic pressure due to seasonal factors like heatwaves.
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Question
Further to the question about strokes, as we know, every minute counts. The Minister just told the House that in not every case is the ambulance response meeting the 18-minute time target for stroke patients. Given this, what advice would she give to members of the public who think a loved one has had a stroke? Should they call 999 and hope the ambulance will arrive within 18 minutes or take their loved one in a car/taxi to A&E?
Minister reply
If someone suspects a stroke is occurring, they should dial 999 immediately. Ambulance callers will stay on the line with the caller, advise them based on symptoms and get an ambulance to them as quickly as possible. Once in hospital, suspected stroke patients are seen urgently.
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Question
The West Midlands Ambulance Service has been at resource escalation action plan 4 for several months now, which is almost unprecedented. Has the new Secretary of State spoken to the chief ambulance officer for the west midlands about that situation?
Minister reply
The Secretary of State and I are meeting all 11 ambulance trusts over the coming days to address their concerns directly. We understand the pressures they face and are taking them seriously.
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Question
My constituents are worried about long waiting times for ambulances before and during the pandemic. What urgent steps is the Government taking to address this issue?
Minister reply
The Government have procured a £30 million auxiliary ambulance service contract for surge capacity when needed, increased paramedic training from 2,500 in 2010 to 3,000 now, and provided significant workforce funding since 2010.
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Question
Why have the Government presided over a watering down of standards that will see the zero tolerance for 12-hour waits in A&E and the 30-minute standard for ambulance handover delays scrapped?
Minister reply
The targets under Labour were often just tick-box exercises. The current approach is more realistic, focusing on patient care rather than arbitrary targets.
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Question
I urge the Minister to declare an emergency due to severe pressures in South Central Ambulance Service areas, particularly around recruitment and retention of staff and heatwave issues. Will she look at this issue on a national basis?
Minister reply
The Government are working on increasing capacity with £150 million funding, training more paramedics, and monitoring the situation closely for winter pressures.
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Question
I have heard from a constituent who suffered a stroke and had to wait nearly two hours for an ambulance. What urgent steps is she taking now to ensure my constituents get ambulances when they need them?
Minister reply
We are working urgently on this issue, procured a £30 million auxiliary ambulance service contract, and will be meeting all ambulance trusts in the coming days to address these issues.
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Question
Joyce, a 96-year-old survivor of the Coventry blitz, fell and lay screaming for 10 hours after a 999 call due to hospital handover delays. Does the Minister support calls for tax cuts or removal of the national insurance increase supposed to fund social care?
Minister reply
The Government are making changes to improve social care through integrated care boards, which bring health and social care together. We will continue these improvements.
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Question
Why is the Secretary of State not here when we face such a perfect storm? Is this the Government's new approach: that members of the Cabinet no longer turn up to be accountable?
Minister reply
I am the Minister responsible for ambulances and am here to address concerns. The Secretary of State has been meeting clinical teams on visits today to understand frontline issues.
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Question
Last Friday, I passed by Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and saw eight ambulances waiting to transfer patients. The MP raised the issue in Parliament on her first day and with multiple Secretaries of State for Health. She asked when the Government will end chaos and infighting and start taking steps to prevent avoidable deaths.
Minister reply
The Minister reassured that Lucy Allan, a local Member of Parliament, has been working hard behind the scenes to get more investment into the hospital. The Minister stated they would be making future funding announcements for hospital trusts.
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Question
The MP asked if it is possible to use successful covid-resourced helplines to provide short-term advice on heat-related issues. He also wanted to know what else the Minister's Department can do to take pressure off A&E and out-of-hours GP surgeries.
Minister reply
The Minister responded positively, mentioning that there were lessons learned during the pandemic regarding resource allocation and emergency service responses. They are looking at best practices in regions with better response times. The investment into 111 services enables people to get urgent care directed to them through alternative means. Direct referrals via 111 are being considered.