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Question
The shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care thanked the Secretary of State for providing advance sight of his statement but questioned whether the plan will stick, stating that while he agrees with the long-term goals, there are still sketchy details on delivery and funding. He highlighted the need for a clear workforce plan aligned with the strategy.
Minister reply
The Minister did not directly respond to this specific MP's question.
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Question
He asked about neighbourhood health centres. How will the providers be selected, and how will they fit with GP provision?
Minister reply
The providers of these new centres will be NHS organisations, including a combination of new builds and refurbishments in both public and private sectors. The cost varies from low millions to around £20 million depending on whether it is an upgrade or a new build.
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Question
Will the plan avoid duplication with existing services?
Minister reply
The aim is to ensure that neighbourhood health centres do not lead to duplication of services and will be integrated effectively within the NHS.
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Question
Can you commit to delivering fracture liaison services?
Minister reply
We want to see fracture liaison services rolled out across the country due to their demonstrable impact on patient outcomes and value for taxpayers.
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Question
What is your position on rolling HSSIB into CQC?
Minister reply
We will not roll HSSIB into the Care Quality Commission until we are assured that the CQC is back to the standards expected for it to perform its core duties.
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Question
How do you plan to address social care?
Minister reply
The Government has provided an additional £4 billion to social care and will shortly set out how they will deliver fair pay agreements for the care workforce.
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Question
Will the Secretary of State explain how the plan will help restore a first-class service in the NHS?
Minister reply
The plan represents a major opportunity for constructive reform and we are committed to delivering improvements. The 10-year plan has received widespread support from across different organisations and we will work with them to deliver these changes.
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Question
Will the Secretary of State bring forward the Casey review this year? How does the neighbourhood health centre plan interact with GP contracts?
Minister reply
We are already taking action on social care, including increased funding and improvements to carer’s allowance. The case for neighbourhood health centres is that closer decision-making leads to better outcomes; hence we will start in areas of greatest inequality where people have to travel far to access healthcare.
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Question
Can the Secretary of State reassure me that the fingerprints of NHS workers are all over this 10-year plan?
Minister reply
We had over 270,000 contributions, 250,000 responses and almost 2 million visits to the change.nhs.uk website during our consultation period. Staff and patients’ fingerprints are all over the plan.
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Question
Does the Secretary of State agree that it is vital to maintain hospital oversight and transparency through CQC ratings?
Minister reply
Agrees on the importance of transparent CQC ratings for hospitals, ensuring people know whether care in their constituencies is outstanding or needs improvement.
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Question
What more will be done to ensure NHS digital improvements?
Minister reply
A single log-on for staff by 2026-27 to improve data-driven decisions and confidence in the NHS.
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Question
Why not look into Australia’s pharmaceutical benefits scheme?
Minister reply
The single-payer model of the NHS is ideally placed for procurement, and the system has been thoroughly reviewed.
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Question
How will Labour's 10-year plan deliver on getting treatment out of hospitals?
Minister reply
Delivering improvements in general practice with more GPs and funding, working in partnership with GPs to ensure they embrace the neighbourhood health service.
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Question
Will he review a drug available in Scotland for women with secondary breast cancer?
Minister reply
NICE works to ensure patients have access to the latest treatments, but also mentions Scottish health plan failures.
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Question
Will a national prostate cancer screening programme be included in the 10-year plan?
Minister reply
The national cancer plan will consider earlier diagnosis and treatment, aiming to tackle racial inequalities.
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Question
Will an assisted dying scheme be included in the NHS 10-year plan?
Minister reply
Assisted dying is not part of the current plan, but the law will be abided by and scrutiny continued.
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Question
How can unintended consequences of cancer alliance funding cuts be rectified?
Minister reply
Will look into the issue raised to ensure fair treatment for all alliances, aiming at joined-up working.
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Question
In the 143 pages of this document, there is virtually no mention of social care. Lord Darzi told us last year that we cannot fix the NHS without fixing social care. Will the Secretary of State please treat the care crisis with the urgency it deserves and bring forward work to build a cross-party consensus to fix the care crisis?
Minister reply
We are acting urgently as we await the first report of the Casey commission, which has provided £4 billion more investment in social care. We have also increased carer’s allowance and disabled facilities grants. We will proceed with actions this Parliament and will wait for the Casey commission to launch.
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Question
Professor Ian Abbs, the chief executive of St Thomas’ hospital in my constituency, is stepping down. The Royal College of Nursing analysis shows that by 2029, 11,000 nurses may have left the profession after working less than 10 years due to exhaustion, mental health, and stress. Can he give us an update on how we will ensure a fit workforce for our ambitious 10-year plan?
Minister reply
Professor Ian Abbs is an outstanding NHS leader who will not drift into quiet retirement; his expertise will be used further. We are working closely with the Royal College of Nursing and Unison to address nurse shortages, improve conditions, and ensure nursing remains a modern career choice.
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Question
Regarding the Health Services Safety Investigations Body (HSSIB), will he agree to meet those of us from the Select Committee who campaigned for this body before making further decisions on it?
Minister reply
We welcome constructive approaches. We are happy to receive representations on HSSIB, which is not a regulator and should remain separate from other regulatory bodies like the CQC to avoid confusion.
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Question
How will he ensure there is no postcode lottery for specialist palliative care services? Will he meet with leaders of the independent commission on palliative and end-of-life care to get this right?
Minister reply
We want high-quality, compassionate care from diagnosis through to end of life. Palliative and end-of-life care services will play a significant role in our shift out of hospitals into communities. We are committed to improving these services.
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Question
How can the NHS senior management reduce bureaucracy, particularly around technology and GDPR delays?
Minister reply
The NHS leadership is determined to work with us to reduce waste, inefficiency, and bureaucracy. We have Sir Jim Mackey as chief executive of the NHS, who is working closely with Ministers on this goal.
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Question
Can he ensure that wards in Bury North get a healthy share of new funding for working-class communities to start closing health gaps and give every child the chance of a long, healthy life?
Minister reply
We are addressing poverty and ill health by extending free school meals to half a million children from low-income families. This measure lifted 100,000 children out of poverty in one day.
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Question
I welcome the Secretary of State’s commitment to neighbourhood health centres and his previous answer about rural communities. May I offer him a golden opportunity by highlighting the need for funding to build a new health centre in Long Crendon, which lost its GP practice during the pandemic? They have land, planning permission, and it will cost less than £200 million. Will he commit to delivering this?
Minister reply
I thank the hon. Gentleman for his support with the plan and appreciate his enthusiasm for building a new health centre in Long Crendon. While I cannot give an immediate commitment, I look forward to receiving representations from him on this matter.
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Question
The Secretary of State will be aware of the importance of improving mental health support for me. With long waiting times inherited from previous Governments, does he share my belief that self-referral via the NHS app for talking therapies will enable more people to get effective treatment at the right time?
Minister reply
I thank my hon. Friend for his service and expertise in the House. I am proud of our commitment to mental health support in schools and neighbourhood services, as well as new mental health emergency departments across type 1 A&E departments to avoid overwhelming busy departments.
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Question
I welcome the Secretary of State’s 10-year plan and his commitment in October to publishing a national cancer plan. Can he confirm that this plan will cover improved diagnosis, screening for at-risk groups, better treatment outcomes, concentration on rare cancers, workforce planning, research funding, drug company relationships, and more?
Minister reply
I can reassure the hon. Gentleman that his points are covered in the national cancer plan scheduled for publication later this year. We will ensure improved diagnosis, screening, better treatment outcomes, support for rare cancers, workforce planning, research funding, and stronger relationships with drug companies.
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Question
I congratulate the Secretary of State on his bold 10-year plan for NHS. With up to 4 million people expected to live with sight loss by 2050, can my right hon. Friend tell me that his plan will end the postcode lottery, join up primary and secondary care, tackle workforce challenges, provide a high-quality eye care pathway, and invest in research?
Minister reply
I congratulate my hon. Friend on her work to improve eye care services. We are committed to ending the postcode lottery, improving integration between primary and secondary care, addressing workforce challenges, providing better pathways for patients, and investing in innovative genetic discoveries.
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Question
My constituents Charlotte and James Bassett have been fighting for answers since their baby daughter Norah’s death in 2019. What assurances can he give my constituents that any recommendations by the national maternity and neonatal taskforce will be implemented quickly?
Minister reply
I thank the hon. Member for her outstanding representation of her constituents on this issue. We will work with families to identify what has gone wrong, provide truth and accountability for failures, and ensure rapid improvements so that other families do not suffer in the same way.
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Question
I thank the Secretary of State for delivering on a commitment made two years ago to move services back into the community. Can he address the use of bank staff in NHS and ensure that midwifery graduates can get jobs, considering their unpaid labour and financial debt?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend is right to emphasise reducing agency spend in NHS and improving working conditions for staff. We have saved £1 billion within our first year and are committed to saving more, making better outcomes for patients and value for taxpayers.
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Question
The Carr-Hill formula has not been updated since 2004. Given Huntingdon's population growth, will the Secretary of State clarify that the formula will be revised and GP surgeries in Huntingdon will receive fairer funding?
Minister reply
I can give the hon. Gentleman assurance that we are reforming the Carr-Hill formula to ensure funding is based on need. I am delighted to be working closely with the British Medical Association’s general practitioners committee on these reforms.
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Question
I welcome this plan, particularly the double helix design highlighting genetic discoveries. Will the single patient record with easy access be transformative?
Minister reply
Given my hon. Friend’s expertise, I am delighted that he has welcomed the plan so enthusiastically. The single patient record with easy access will indeed be transformative and beneficial for patients.
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Question
Having secured a Westminster Hall debate on this issue, I am delighted to hear the Secretary of State confirm that Carr-Hill formula will be revised. However, are GP surgeries being made more powerful and unaccountable? What about Healthwatch as patient advocates?
Minister reply
I appreciate the hon. Gentleman’s concerns regarding the power and accountability of GP surgeries. We are committed to ensuring systemic accountability through regulators while also providing individual advocacy for patients.
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Question
Welcoming the plan, Sonia Kumar asks about empowering allied health professionals to lead neighbourhood health centres and addressing dental deserts in her constituency.
Minister reply
Wes Streeting commits to empowering allied health professionals like physiotherapists at the heart of the neighbourhood health service and acknowledges the issue of dental deserts.
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Question
Welcoming the 10-year plan, Iqbal Mohamed raises concerns about dental deserts in his constituency and asks for confirmation that investment will be made to improve local healthcare facilities.
Minister reply
The Secretary of State assures that these issues are contained within the 10-year plan.
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Question
Welcoming the plan, Anna Dixon inquires about benefits for disabled people and their carers through features such as 'My Carer' on the NHS app.
Minister reply
Wes Streeting explains that the ‘My Carer’ feature will provide family and unpaid carers with communication access to care teams for loved ones.
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Question
Welcoming the plan, Tom Gordon raises concerns about type 1 diabetes screening and asks if the references to diabetes screening will be pertinent.
Minister reply
Wes Streeting assures that the references include both type 1 and type 2 diabetes and welcomes meetings with the APPG for diabetes.
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Question
Welcoming the plan, Jon Pearce inquires about opportunities to deliver health hubs like Buxton in his constituency.
Minister reply
The Secretary of State commits to meeting with Jon Pearce to discuss opportunities for delivering a health hub.
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Question
Welcoming the plan, Jim Shannon raises concerns about care in the community and asks if training through schools and colleges will be encouraged.
Minister reply
Wes Streeting commits to delivering intermediate care in the community and ensuring that it is not just the sons and daughters of doctors who get into medicine.
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Question
Welcoming the plan, Ms Polly Billington raises concerns about Chris Whitty’s report on health in coastal communities.
Minister reply
The Secretary of State assures that Chris Whitty's work had a significant influence on meeting needs and tackling inequalities.
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Question
Welcoming the plan, Caroline Voaden inquires about conversations with other departments regarding ringfenced funding for leisure centres, swimming pools, safe cycle routes and footpaths.
Minister reply
Wes Streeting acknowledges the importance of these facilities but does not provide a direct answer.
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Question
Will the Health Secretary outline how the 10-year plan will quickly deliver on the Government’s aim to go from an analogue to a digital service? That is important to Doncaster hospital, which is still on paper records. Will he also ensure that the deaf community is considered and that BSL and easy-read materials are woven into any digital roll-out?
Minister reply
I can absolutely give my hon. Friend that assurance. The 10-year plan includes a commitment to design in accessibility, ensuring that technology benefits everyone, including those with hearing loss. We will work closely with the NHS to ensure that these improvements reach every community.
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Question
My constituency, along with all of Oxfordshire, is an NHS dental desert. Having met with dental providers, they say that the key to changing that is reforming the NHS dental contract. I note that the 10-year plan includes a commitment to doing that, but no timescales are provided. Can the Secretary of State enlighten the House?
Minister reply
Yes, we will start fundamental reforms to the dental contract this year, working carefully with stakeholders such as the British Dental Association to ensure genuine improvements for patients and the profession.
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Question
How will the Secretary of State ensure that with this new funding formula, he and his team at the centre will keep a tight grip on what happens at ICB and other levels closer to the ground to ensure that that funding gets to the areas with the most need?
Minister reply
We will maintain close oversight as power is devolved. We are counting on local communities and authorities to ensure resources are spent effectively, ensuring democratic accountability and oversight.
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Question
Will my right hon. Friend outline how the Government’s 10-year health plan will support the shift from hospital to community, so that more support is available on people’s doorsteps?
Minister reply
The plan prioritises partnership with community groups and voluntary sector organisations like Jagdeep Aujla's Dopamine Warriors boxing club, which provide excellent support for patient groups and their families.
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Question
Could the Secretary of State set out how this plan gives power to patients and puts them back in the driving seat?
Minister reply
The 10-year plan includes measures such as patient power payments that give patients real bite if they are receiving poor-quality care, among other mechanisms for ease, convenience, choice and control.
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Question
Can the Secretary of State tell me how my constituents will benefit from this plan when it comes to the support children need with their health?
Minister reply
The plan sets out our ambition to make this the healthiest generation of children who ever lived, including better access to mental health services and recognition of neurodiverse needs.
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Question
Can the Secretary of State give me more information about how the improvement in digitisation will improve patient care on the frontline?
Minister reply
The plan includes capital and tech investment ringfenced by the Chancellor to address issues like non-communicating systems, ensuring that patients across different parts of the NHS receive seamless care.
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Question
Can the Secretary of State confirm that the 10-year plan will seek to simplify the system, and to put patients in the driving seat and bureaucracy in the bin?
Minister reply
The 10-year plan aims to simplify the NHS system while putting patients firmly at its heart, addressing challenges such as postcode lotteries and complex access issues.
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Question
My constituents often struggle with basic appointments leading them to overcrowded hospitals. Does the Secretary of State agree that primary care is central to improving the NHS? Can he assure my constituents they will have timely access to local services?
Minister reply
I am grateful for the hon. Friend's questions and his dedication to his constituency. He is right; good general practice and accessible neighbourhood health services are key, especially in areas of high need like Newham. I hope his constituents feel the impact as we roll out this plan over the next decade.
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Question
The Secretary of State mentioned community health teams in Cornwall providing services directly to people, even at home. Can he confirm that this focus will be maintained throughout the 10-year plan for rural and coastal areas?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend is correct; we need to ensure that services meet needs not just in big cities but also in rural and coastal communities. The focus on innovation, community services, and neighbourhood health aims to benefit everyone regardless of where they live.
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Question
I welcome the move towards community delivery, greater accountability, and power to patients. What conversations has the Secretary of State had with regulatory bodies regarding new technologies and drugs in the NHS?
Minister reply
We are investing in new medicines and technology as an investment rather than a cost, delivering better care, value for taxpayers, and closing health inequalities. The focus is on making sure the NHS benefits from these advancements.
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Question
As we approach the 77th anniversary of the NHS, I thank all staff at Stepping Hill hospital and pay tribute to the British Dental Association. Will the Secretary of State visit Stockport to speak with patients about dental care issues?
Minister reply
I am grateful for my hon. Friend's leadership on the campaign for Stepping Hill hospital. I would be delighted to visit his constituency as soon as my diary allows.
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Question
The Sir Robert Peel centre in Tamworth is now running at full throttle, offering a range of diagnostic services and treatments. Will the Secretary of State celebrate this hospital's transformation to unlock more than 1,000 treatments per week?
Minister reply
I am grateful for my hon. Friend's question; everyone involved deserves an enormous thank you. I hope people are beginning to feel the benefits and see the change that comes from a Labour Government delivering results.
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Question
My constituents struggle with accessing NHS primary services. How will this 10-year plan benefit small towns and villages?
Minister reply
Neighbourhood health cannot just be about large towns and cities; it must meet the needs of every community. The approach we are taking, with care closer to home or in the home, disproportionately benefits people like those in my hon. Friend's constituency.
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Question
I welcome the 10-year plan, seeing its benefits already in Southend with new radiotherapy machines and GP surgery investments. How does this address men’s mental health challenges?
Minister reply
Delighted that my hon. Friend is developing a new men's health strategy, including a focus on men’s mental health. By working closely with voluntary sector organisations and the NHS, we will make sure we get it right.
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Question
I welcome the recognition that victims of domestic abuse experience worse NHS access and outcomes. Will the Secretary of State work with charities to treat domestic abuse as a public health emergency?
Minister reply
Absolutely right, it is the NHS's responsibility to meet everyone’s needs regardless of background or circumstances. The NHS plays its part in keeping women and girls safe, alive and well, working closely with my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary.
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Question
I welcome the 10-year plan's commitment to rebuilding Frimley Park hospital. What will healthcare look like for people in Aldershot over the next decade?
Minister reply
This plan ensures more people receive the right care at the right time, delivering neighbourhood health services under one roof with more choice and personalized care. We are supporting armed forces, veterans, and their families in Aldershot.
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Question
Thanking the Secretary of State for his statement, how will the 10-year plan ensure a shift from sickness to prevention? Can he comment on the UK Health Security Agency location?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend is right about shifting focus from treating sickness to preventing illness; lots of good stuff on prevention in the plan. On the UK Health Security Agency, I can assure him we will make a decision shortly.
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Question
Does he agree that the Tories accepted decline in the NHS as inevitable, but it takes a Labour Government to get the NHS back on its feet?
Minister reply
Absolutely. The people of Watford can see the difference a Labour Government can make, thanks to their sending a Labour MP to the House.
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Question
Will he commit to making sure that empowerment applies equally to people seeking mental health services and those seeking physical health services?
Minister reply
Sunlight is the best disinfectant, and I am concerned that we do not give enough profile to paediatric waits and mental health waits. With more transparency, information and access, we will be able to demonstrate improvements over the course of this Parliament and the next decade.
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Question
Can he tell me a bit more about how maternity services will be incorporated into his plan for a neighbourhood health service?
Minister reply
I am absolutely determined to work with families, especially those who have suffered such grave injustice at the hands of the NHS. The culture of denial and cover-up cannot be allowed to persist, and I will work with my hon. Friend to make sure that we end it.
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Question
Can the Secretary of State give me an idea of the pace of the roll-out of neighbourhood health centres?
Minister reply
We aim to roll out 40 to 50 neighbourhood health centres over the course of this Parliament, and if we can go faster, we will. I have no doubt that my hon. Friend, as a strong representative for Dartford, will make more representations to us shortly.
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Question
Is that something that the Secretary of State and the health team are determined to roll out?
Minister reply
The change will mean that people in Stevenage start to feel real improvements in their ability to access the NHS. Of course, that is in no small part thanks to this country’s amazing life sciences sector, which has its beating heart in Stevenage.
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Question
Can he confirm that he will do everything he can to accelerate and implement the outcome of Baroness Casey’s cross-party commission?
Minister reply
I can certainly give my hon. Friend that assurance. It is precisely because of examples of the sort that he has shared with the House that we have to get this right, so that we relieve families of such catastrophic care costs.
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Question
Will the Health Secretary expand on that criterion, and perhaps tell me what I need to do to get a health centre for Leeds South West and Morley?
Minister reply
I am committed to rolling out neighbourhood health across the country, and to making sure that we particularly benefit the communities with the greatest need that are the most poorly served.
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Question
Will my right hon. Friend assure me that he will report regularly to this House on progress against this excellent plan?
Minister reply
I can absolutely give my hon. Friend that assurance.