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Question
Mr Simmonds asked if the Minister would provide a detailed list of all NHS trusts that have had mental health patients die or been severely injured in the past five years.
Minister reply
The Minister stated that the Government are already working with the HSIB to look into patient safety concerns and said that more information will be made available.
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Question
Ms Maskell asked for an update on the mental health review panel’s recommendations regarding a safe staffing model, and why these had not been implemented.
Minister reply
The Minister acknowledged that staff numbers are crucial to the provision of high-quality care but emphasised that it is important to ensure that any proposed staffing models do not add unnecessary burdens on staff. He stated that all safety concerns would be taken seriously.
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Question
Dr Davies asked about the Government’s plans for more mental health beds.
Minister reply
The Minister confirmed that three new mental health hospitals are being built to provide specialist care and reduce waiting lists.
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Question
I thank the Secretary of State for advance sight of the statement. However, it beggars belief that it has taken the Government so long to address the House on this matter...
Minister reply
It is a shame that the hon. Lady chose to conclude her remarks in such a way... We are committed to cutting waiting times, including in mental health. That is why we are spending £2.3 billion more on mental health this year than four years ago...
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Question
First, let me put on the record my personal thanks to the Secretary of State and Ministers for their honest and frank engagement with colleagues and with bereaved families...
Minister reply
In my discussions with my right hon. Friend and colleagues, I found the compassion that they showed and the way they championed the family voice compelling... Of course, we want families to be part of the discussion on the terms of reference.
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Question
I, too, welcome the Secretary of State’s statement, but I am disappointed that he did not say more about the serious risks that we have raised in the House—not least about timely access to services and the significant risk that many of my constituents have faced out in the community—in respect of Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust, which serves York. I wonder whether he can expand on that, and on his proposals for taking things forward at the trust.
Minister reply
The hon. Lady raises a very valid point. There are real concerns about Tees. We considered that when considering the scope of the statutory inquiry. Given that significant work had been done in Essex, we decided to strike the balance by putting that on a statutory footing but enabling work to proceed at pace through HSIB on Tees and some other areas.
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Question
It is a deep, deep tragedy that, over the 20-year period, around 2,000 people lost their life under the care of mental health services in Essex. Families and survivors are right to want transparency and accountability. Given the slow progress of the independent inquiry, it is right that it now moves to a statutory basis.
Minister reply
Having discussed that harrowing evidence with my right hon. Friend, I do not think any Minister could either forget it or not be moved. She is right to highlight the two broad elements of learning the lessons of what happened in the past and maintaining services for the future. I am therefore happy to give her an assurance that we will work closely with her on support for Essex as lessons are learned through the statutory inquiry and as services continue to be delivered.
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Question
My thoughts are, first and foremost, with the bereaved families and all those involved, because this process must be utter agony for them. It is right that the inquiry is put on a statutory footing.
Minister reply
Dr Strathdee did not particularly focus on staffing numbers; she focused on some of the issues with care from staff. That was the nature of the concerns. On the ongoing risk, part of the reason why we commissioned the rapid review was to look, in particular, at the quality of data.
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Question
I welcome that sentence and the seriousness and speed with which this is being taken forward. Could the Secretary of State update the House on how soon we will see the Government’s response to the pre-legislative scrutiny Committee report on the draft Mental Health Bill?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend is right to highlight the importance of pre-legislative scrutiny, into which he had a personal input. I met Baroness Buscombe some months ago to discuss the outcome of that pre-legislative scrutiny.
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Question
Many of my constituents depend on mental health services provided by the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, which provides a range of services for very vulnerable people across a large part of south London. The in-patient service includes cleaning and catering facilities, and it is vital that those services are run well so that well-trained professional staff are able to treat mental health patients.
Minister reply
We are investing more in mental health services as a whole, and that includes the important area of cleaning and catering services. It would be inappropriate for me to comment on that specific contractual dispute, but industrial action is clearly disruptive.
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Question
I welcome my right hon. Friend’s statement and the move to put the EPUT inquiry on a statutory footing. He mentioned that putting it on a statutory footing means it will take longer.
Minister reply
The chair is to be appointed, and given that statutory basis and the independence of the chair, it would be wrong for me to pre-empt the terms of reference.
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Question
I welcome the statutory inquiry, which is a step in the right direction. I also welcome the Secretary of State’s focus on families.
Minister reply
The hon. Gentleman raises an extremely important point. A particular downside of out-of-area placements is often the distance from families. Indeed, one can see in the data that there is often a corresponding uptick in issues of harm.
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Question
It is disappointing that the failure of staff to engage in the non-statutory inquiry process has brought us to this situation, indicating a poor culture. The MP calls for redoubled efforts to reform the Mental Health Act.
Minister reply
The Minister acknowledges the need for change and notes investment of £40 million into in-patient wards and community services under Paul Scott's leadership at EPUT.
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Question
Mind and other organisations should be involved to ensure that any changes happen with patients and their families, not just for them.
Minister reply
The Minister agrees on the importance of engaging with those with experience and acknowledges the charity sector's role in shaping improvements.
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Question
Will the Secretary of State work closely with EPUT’s chief executive to ensure this does not happen again, while trying to help improve in the future as well?
Minister reply
The Minister confirms that he will work closely with the chief executive and leadership team at EPUT.
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Question
SLaM is cutting £45 million from services this year. When will those words be meaningful for mental health care patients in Southwark?
Minister reply
The Minister highlights additional investment of £2.3 billion, crisis cafés and other schemes, digital apps, and the recognition that mental health needs more focus.
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Question
Since I first visited Rochford Hospital, there have been three Secretaries of State visit. What was the South Essex Mental Health Partnership’s issue? It is about capacity and quality care.
Minister reply
The Minister agrees on the points made by his hon. Friend about workforce shortages, data focus, and the importance of patient outcomes.
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Question
What conversations is he having with the sector to ensure we get enough mental health nurses trained?
Minister reply
The Minister emphasises the need for a long-term workforce plan, significant demand increases, and engagement with the mental health sector.
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Question
What support can be accessed by people, especially young people, if they are going through a crisis right now?
Minister reply
The Minister highlights early intervention in schools and community support, including the use of digital apps for mental health support.
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Question
Does he intend to share lessons learned with regional Administrations?
Minister reply
The Minister confirms his commitment to sharing experience across the UK, learning from each other on mental health challenges.
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Question
Given that a recent report into mental health services in York established that communication is a clear concern affecting mental health outcomes and safety locally, what specific steps would my right hon. Friend take to ensure better communication between primary and secondary care services?
Minister reply
That is an extremely good point. A key element of the primary care recovery plan looks at handover points between secondary and primary care to ease pressures on GPs so they can spend more time with patients. The rapid review focuses on data to identify gaps or areas of duplication that take clinicians away from spending time with patients.
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Question
Will my right hon. Friend confirm that TEWV will be covered by the HSIB review? When can families expect to hear anything from that review? Will he keep the need for a statutory inquiry into TEWV under review?
Minister reply
It will be covered by the HSIB review, which typically takes around a year. The new body has greater teeth than its predecessor due to reforms passed in 2022 and provides the benefit of speed compared to statutory inquiries.
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Question
Does he agree that early access to children’s mental health services needs to be a priority for all new care systems, as championed by the wellbeing boards in north Lincolnshire?
Minister reply
I am extremely keen on socialising good practice across the country. The statement today aims to ensure that lessons from Essex can be applied more widely and best practices adopted across the nation.