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NHS: Independent Investigation
12 September 2024
Lead MP
Wes Streeting
Debate Type
Ministerial Statement
Tags
NHSTaxationEmployment
Other Contributors: 46
At a Glance
Wes Streeting raised concerns about nhs: independent investigation 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
With permission, I would like to make a statement on Lord Darzi’s investigation into the NHS. The Government has commissioned an independent report by Lord Darzi, who found that the NHS faces significant problems due to under-investment over a decade, including inadequate technology and outdated facilities. Lord Darzi identified several critical issues such as failing to meet patient treatment promises for nearly a decade, rising waiting lists for mental health and community services, and reversals in progress on cardiovascular diseases compared to other countries. He also highlighted the negative impact of the 2012 reorganisation and the pandemic, which exacerbated existing weaknesses. The minister emphasises that Lord Darzi’s recommendations are for recovery and reform, including a 10-year plan focusing on digital transformation, community-based healthcare, and preventive measures. The government is committed to hiring more GPs and ending strikes crippling NHS services.
Victoria Atkins
Con
Louth and Horncastle
Question
The Shadow Secretary of State thanked the Secretary of State for advance notice of his statement and acknowledged that all parties care about the NHS. She highlighted achievements during her tenure, including more doctors, nurses, investment in healthcare facilities, and the fastest rollout of vaccinations in the world during the pandemic.
Minister reply
The Minister did not provide a direct response but continued with the rest of his speech without interruption.
Clive Efford
Lab
Eltham and Chislehurst
Question
Welcoming the statement, Clive Efford questioned whether investing in deprived areas to combat health inequalities was urgent. He asked what could be done to direct resources into these communities.
Minister reply
My hon. Friend is right about stark health inequalities where people's chances of living well vary based on location; e.g., a girl born in Blackpool can expect to live until 54 compared to Winchester, where it's 66. This disparity highlights the need for addressing social determinants of ill health through proactive measures.
Daisy Cooper
Lib Dem
St Albans
Question
Critiquing the long-term impact of the report and its lack of prescription, Daisy Cooper urged the Secretary of State to read their fully costed manifesto for fixing public health and primary care, including recruiting GPs, ending dental deserts, boosting grants, implementing a cancer survival rate plan, and having mental health experts in schools. She also highlighted social care issues as critical.
Minister reply
The Liberal Democrats share many commitments with my party regarding prevention, health-care distribution from hospitals to high streets, and the link between health and wealth. The Government plans cross-party work on tackling both short-term crises and long-term needs of social care.
Peter Prinsley
Lab
Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket
Question
Referring to cancelled operations due to strikes in the NHS over two years, Peter Prinsley questioned if ending such strikes was a first step towards fixing the NHS. He pointed out that Conservatives failed negotiations with doctors.
Minister reply
While we acknowledge costs of solving strikes, we must not overlook the costs and patient misery caused by cancelled operations under Conservative rule due to failure in negotiations with junior doctors.
Mims Davies
Con
East Grinstead and Uckfield
Question
Expressing gratitude towards NHS staff across England, Mims Davies questioned the Secretary of State's lack of attention towards health outcomes and experiences in Wales. She implied political reasons for this oversight.
Minister reply
I acknowledge that health and social care systems are in crisis across the UK, but we will work constructively with every devolved Administration to improve health and care outcomes.
Stella Creasy
Lab Co-op
Walthamstow
Question
The Secretary of State is right that reform is necessary for the NHS, but money is needed to support it. Millions and billions are being wasted on private sector contracts and PFI payments. Will he commit to an urgent review of how the NHS works with the private sector?
Minister reply
Will meet with Stella Creasy regarding her concerns about private finance initiatives (PFI) and other private investments within the NHS, acknowledging past Labour government's achievements while also recognising areas that needed improvement.
Kieran Mullan
Con
Bexhill and Battle
Question
Has the Secretary of State read the report from the Mid Staffordshire public inquiry regarding patient neglect under previous Labour leadership? Might it temper his current overconfidence?
Minister reply
Encourages reflection on past failures, but criticises Conservative members for not learning from them.
Nick Smith
Lab
Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney
Question
Pharmaceutical producers Auden Mckenzie and Actavis UK charged excessive prices for hydrocortisone tablets, causing NHS spending to skyrocket. How will the Secretary of State prevent such practices in future procurement processes?
Minister reply
Will work with pharmaceutical industry on a social responsibility basis, ensuring they do not exploit taxpayers.
Andrew George
Lib Dem
St Ives
Question
The previous government left the NHS and care services in crisis. Alongside addressing underinvestment, will the Secretary of State review Liberal Democrats' plan to raise investment necessary for workforce planning?
Minister reply
Acknowledges fiscal policy is a matter for the Chancellor but expresses confidence that reform and investment will address issues highlighted by Lord Darzi's report.
Jo White
Lab
Bassetlaw
Question
Welcomes Lord Darzi’s report which highlights previous government failures. When will people in Bassetlaw get GP appointments, dental care? What is Secretary of State's message to GPs and dentists?
Minister reply
Reassures constituents that within two months the Government employed 1000 more GPs, settled junior doctors' dispute, and aims to deliver 40,000 more GP appointments weekly, 700,000 urgent emergency dental care appointments.
Bernard Jenkin
Con
Harwich and North Essex
Question
Urges Secretary of State to learn from success in the NHS such as Suffolk and North East Essex ICB. Can we build this into other areas?
Minister reply
Commits to taking an evolutionary rather than revolutionary approach to NHS reform, learning from successful examples within the system.
Olivia Blake
Lab
Sheffield Hallam
Question
Lord Darzi's report highlights failures of previous government. Does the Secretary of State agree more needs to be done on retaining and recruiting NHS workforce?
Minister reply
Emphasises importance of valuing staff, investing in recruitment and retention strategies.
Gosport
Question
Concerned about pause on children's cancer taskforce during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Why was this decision made?
Minister reply
Pausing the taskforce is to ensure right vehicles are in place to deliver desired outcomes, avoiding over-reliance on taskforces and ensuring meaningful action.
Jacob Collier
Lab
Burton and Uttoxeter
Question
When I grew up in Stretton under the last Labour Government, I could get an appointment with my family doctor the next day. After 14 years of the Conservatives, Stretton residents now often have to travel more than six miles to a GP surgery in another village just to get an appointment for which they have already waited weeks. Does the Secretary of State share my view that this is unacceptable, and that it falls to this Government to fix the Conservatives’ mess?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. We need to make sure that we have the right staff in the right place and an equitable distribution of access to NHS services right across the country. We also want to shift from the hospital-centred NHS that we see today to a neighbourhood-centred service. That is why we have acted immediately to put 1,000 more GPs on the frontline before the end of this year.
James Wild
Con
North West Norfolk
Question
This review highlights the need for capital investment in the NHS. The question that NHS staff and patients in North West Norfolk have is urgent: are the Government committed to replacing their hospital, which is affected by reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete, with a new Queen Elizabeth hospital in King’s Lynn by 2030—yes or no?
Minister reply
I can absolutely reassure the hon. Member that RAAC-impacted hospitals are a priority. We are putting safety first, and it is just a shame that when his residents had a Prime Minister in their backyard, the Conservative Government did not fix the problem.
Debbie Abrahams
Lab
Oldham East and Saddleworth
Question
For the sake of openness and transparency, I will just mention that I am a former chair of an NHS trust and a public health academic. I recognise the real issues that are raised in the findings of the Darzi rapid review. I am grateful to Lord Darzi for referring in particular to the inequalities that we have experienced, and how those inequalities were laid bare during covid. Will the Health and Social Care Secretary expand on the cross-departmental work that he is doing?
Minister reply
I thank my hon. Friend for her question and congratulate her warmly on her election to the Chair of the Work and Pensions Committee. I am looking forward to sharing, through the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, the work that our Departments are doing together, particularly on the link between mental health and unemployment and on integrating pathways.
Edward Leigh
Con
Gainsborough
Question
I greatly respect the Secretary of State, and, as an older person who relies on the NHS, I support his radical zeal. I repeat what he said in his statement: cancer is more likely to be a death sentence for NHS patients than for patients in other countries. We have had this conversation previously, but can he at least look at the health systems in other countries, particularly those in the Netherlands, Australia, France and Germany? Those countries, which have wonderful health systems protecting the vulnerable, use a mixture of social insurance and public and private funds to maximise inputs into their health services.
Minister reply
Every time the right hon. Gentleman praises my zeal for NHS reform, Labour Members get very nervous. Let me reassure him that I have looked at other countries, and I will definitely continue to do that.
Rachel Taylor
Lab
North Warwickshire and Bedworth
Question
In my constituency of North Warwickshire and Bedworth, patients wait far too long for GP appointments. The Conservative party has presided over sticking-plaster solutions, papering over the cracks in our health service rather than making it fit for the future. Does the Secretary of State agree that today’s report is a chance to get the right diagnosis of the problems, so that this new Labour Government can come up with the right prescription, and my constituents can once again get the treatment that they so desperately need?
Minister reply
I am delighted to see my hon. Friend in her place. She is absolutely right. We will take Lord Darzi’s diagnosis to write the prescription and ensure that our reform agenda benefits every part of the country—not just big cities and the wealthiest communities—so that every person, wherever they are from, grow up and live, has access to the very best health and care services.
Ayoub Khan
Ind
Birmingham Perry Barr
Question
A key finding in the Darzi report is that NHS staff morale is low. The Medical Defence Union of medical practitioners stated recently that more than 44% of NHS staff will reduce the number of hours that they work, because of low morale. Will the Secretary of State meet representatives of the union to explore those issues and work out ways of improving staff morale?
Minister reply
Of course we seek to work constructively with all trade unions representing staff across our health and care services, and also with the royal colleges. We want to work in a spirit of partnership, and we are only able to do so because people sent Labour MPs to Parliament to replace the Conservatives.
Rachael Maskell
Lab Co-op
York Central
Question
I agree with my right hon. Friend: this is the most devastating analysis that I have read of the NHS in over 30 years. It just shows the challenges that lie before him. Talking of challenges, will he challenge the integrated care boards to focus on moving resources into primary care? In particular, will he look at what is happening in York, where Nimbuscare has been able to pull out services from the acute sector and deliver work in the community?
Minister reply
I am really grateful to my hon. Friend for her question. She has a huge amount of expertise in health and care, and she is absolutely right about the need for that shift. I have made it very clear to ICB leaders and to trusts across the country that I want more focus on secondary prevention, which means much more activity in the neighbourhood.
David Simmonds
Con
Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner
Question
I declare my interest as the husband of an NHS doctor; I also served as a non-executive director of my local NHS trust. The last time that Lord Darzi was brought into service was by a Labour Government, shortly before they appointed him to the House of Lords. Will the Secretary of State take steps to ensure the widest possible input from senior clinicians? It is clear that some, including Professor Sir John Bell, do not share Lord Darzi’s prescription for the improvement of the NHS. Will he also apologise to my constituents for the doubt that he has cast over the future of the new Hillingdon hospital, on which work had already started under the previous Government?
Minister reply
I am not sure that is a fair characterisation of Sir John Bell’s position. I have a huge amount of respect for him. I am grateful to Lord Darzi for writing the diagnosis. Given that the Conservative party was in government for 14 years, repeatedly promised to rebuild Hillingdon hospital and left my Department in a position where the money for the new hospitals programme ran out in March, the hon. Member has some brass neck to point the finger at us while he is in opposition.
Sean Woodcock
Lab
Banbury
Question
In 2016, the Horton hospital in my constituency lost its consultant-led maternity unit—a temporary downgrade that ended up being made permanent three years later. Is it not about time that someone from the Conservative party apologised for the damage done to Banbury’s hospital, as well as to the NHS as a whole?
Minister reply
I am delighted to see my hon. Friend here. His constituents can already see that he is not backwards in coming forwards. He will stand up and champion their interests in this House as a great constituency MP. When it comes to the Conservative party, sorry seems to be the hardest word.
Alison Bennett
Lib Dem
Mid Sussex
Question
Welcomed the announcement of shifting care from hospitals to communities and the formation of a national care service. Noted concerns regarding hospice sector capacity, specifically highlighting St Catherine’s hospice's 12 unused beds.
Minister reply
Acknowledged the importance of hospices and expressed willingness to work with the sector during the spending review and 10-year plan period to improve end-of-life care.
Tahir Ali
Lab
Birmingham Hall Green and Moseley
Question
Congratulated staff at Birmingham children's hospital for their dedication. Highlighted frustration with outdated computer systems used by GPs.
Minister reply
Acknowledged the frustrations expressed regarding IT infrastructure and emphasised the need to unlock productivity within the NHS system.
Bob Blackman
Con
Harrow East
Question
Proposed streamlining business planning processes in the NHS, suggesting that more funds are spent on non-clinical consultants than hospital consultants.
Minister reply
Acknowledged the need for efficiency and reducing waste but emphasised the importance of maintaining a balance between clinical leadership and political accountability.
Marie Tidball
Lab
Penistone and Stocksbridge
Question
Critiqued the Conservative government’s handling of NHS access issues, citing low patient satisfaction in her constituency.
Minister reply
Agreed to prioritise improving general practice to meet contemporary needs and acknowledged the importance of addressing accessibility issues.
Mark Francois
Con
Rayleigh and Wickford
Question
Highlighted inefficiencies within the Mid and South Essex NHS Hospital Trust, citing high salaries for senior management positions.
Minister reply
Acknowledged the need to maintain value for money while ensuring that good leadership is in place to meet public expectations.
Rachel Hopkins
Lab
Luton South and South Bedfordshire
Question
Blamed Conservative government’s fiscal policies for worsening health outcomes, particularly among children.
Minister reply
Defended Labour's approach to healthcare reform and highlighted the importance of integrating local government perspectives in social care.
Richard Tice
Reform
Boston and Skegness
Question
Suggested that management reform is crucial for improving NHS efficiency, criticising excessive bureaucracy.
Minister reply
Agreed on the need to reduce regulatory burden and free NHS staff from unnecessary red tape.
Julie Minns
Lab
Carlisle
Question
The MP raised concerns about individuals in her Carlisle constituency who had experienced poor care, expressing the need for the Government to not only fix the NHS but also restore public trust.
Minister reply
Wes Streeting thanked Julie Minns and pledged to improve health services across the north-west, including in rural and coastal communities. He acknowledged that addressing problems early is crucial to preventing multiple personal tragedies.
Harriett Baldwin
Con
West Worcestershire
Question
The MP questioned whether an impact assessment had been conducted regarding the withdrawal of winter fuel allowance from certain pensioners, and its effect on NHS bed capacity.
Minister reply
Wes Streeting responded that despite withdrawing the allowance for some, the Government would maintain support through other means such as extending hardship schemes.
Uma Kumaran
Lab
Stratford and Bow
Question
The MP expressed concern over a reversal in progress made by the previous Labour government regarding cardiovascular disease.
Minister reply
Wes Streeting assured that the Government would prioritise public health, highlighting the importance of prevention to reduce long-term costs for the Exchequer.
Nigel Huddleston
Con
Droitwich and Evesham
Question
The MP criticised the Secretary of State for addressing a doctors dispute by throwing money at it rather than requiring productivity enhancements.
Minister reply
Wes Streeting defended the Government's actions, arguing that the previous Conservative government's incompetence had cost over £1 billion and led to cancelled appointments.
Natasha Irons
Lab
Croydon East
Question
The MP highlighted poor health outcomes for children in Europe and asked if the Government would prioritise young people’s health in their NHS long-term plan.
Minister reply
Wes Streeting agreed that it is crucial to prioritise children's health, citing shocking statistics about hospital admissions due to tooth decay.
Richard Foord
Lib Dem
Honiton and Sidmouth
Question
The MP welcomed the Secretary of State’s focus on community care but asked how he would utilise underused community hospitals.
Minister reply
Wes Streeting emphasised the importance of community hospitals, step-down accommodation, and home-based care in shifting from hospital to community.
Polly Billington
Lab
East Thanet
Question
The MP cited a survey showing that fewer than half of East Kent Hospitals University NHS foundation trust employees would want their loved ones treated there.
Minister reply
Wes Streeting acknowledged the impact on morale and agreed that previous austerity measures were to blame, not staff.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
Question
The MP thanked the Secretary of State for his honesty in addressing issues and asked about how he would address worse conditions in devolved regions such as Northern Ireland.
Minister reply
Wes Streeting assured that he was committed to working with Ministers across all parts of the UK, including Northern Ireland, to improve health outcomes.
Calder Valley
Question
I truly learned to appreciate the NHS when I became a parent and saw the care given to my family and children. It therefore horrified me, having sat in A&E with an ill child, to see in Lord Darzi’s report that 100,000 infants waited for over six hours in A&E last year. Does the Secretary of State agree that that is a shocking state in which to leave the NHS? Will he commit to bringing the numbers down and making sure that parents do not have to endure that terrible wait?
Minister reply
I am delighted to see my hon. Friend representing Calder Valley. He has captured the fear and anxiety about the length of the wait experienced by far too many parents when they access A&E departments. It is a terrifying experience, particularly for parents with small children, to be in that situation.
Jessica Toale
Lab
Bournemouth West
Question
My constituents in Bournemouth West have faced rising NHS waiting times; we have GP surgeries closing despite rising populations and health burdens; there are no dentists accepting any NHS adult patients and residents are being told to go to Southampton; and the junior doctors and nurses I meet are devastated that they cannot deliver the quality of service that they want to. Does the Secretary of State agree that although the road ahead is long, Lord Darzi’s frank and raw assessment is the first step to recovery under a Labour Government?
Minister reply
I am delighted to see my hon. Friend in her place representing the people of Bournemouth. The great thing about where we are at this moment is that, for the first time in a long time, there is a feeling of hope and optimism about what the future could be.
Calvin Bailey
Lab
Leyton and Wanstead
Question
Lord Darzi’s report highlights the use of capital expenditure to cover in-year spending by successive Tory Governments. Money intended for long-term investment has been redirected over and over, and that has exacerbated the extremely serious and urgent problems that the Secretary of State so rightly raises today. Does he agree that that has stopped us making progress on capital projects that would enable big productivity improvements and improve access to care for all, particularly those in my constituency of Leyton and Wanstead?
Minister reply
I am delighted to see my parliamentary neighbour in his place; he has big shoes to fill and he will certainly do that. The Chancellor and I are determined to break the vicious cycle in which ballooning costs and overspends in day-to-day spending see raids on capital and tech budgets to fund the shortfall.
Emily Darlington
Lab
Milton Keynes Central
Question
To return to a subject close to the Secretary of State’s heart, does he agree that people’s actual experience is how we will measure whether the NHS has been improved? One of my children’s grandparents, who was diagnosed under a Labour Government, had 12 great years of cutting-edge treatments and 12 years with their grandchildren. Their grandfather, who was diagnosed under a Conservative Government, had 12 weeks.
Minister reply
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for the work she does championing Milton Keynes. Therein lies the challenge: it cannot be right that delays in diagnosis lead to the difference between life and death.
Sonia Kumar
Lab
Dudley
Question
Despite the damning analysis of the state in which the Conservatives left the NHS, Lord Darzi says that its vital signs remain strong. Does the Secretary of State agree with the case for the health service being taxpayer funded, free at the point of use, and based on need and not the ability to pay?
Minister reply
I am delighted to see my hon. Friend from Dudley. I agree wholeheartedly, 100%, unequivocally.
Emma Foody
Lab Co-op
Cramlington and Killingworth
Question
In a recent conversation, a nurse in Brunswick Village in my constituency shared her damning experience of the increasing number of black alerts in her hospital. Does the Secretary of State agree that, although her experience is no surprise to many who have used the NHS recently, the Tories have pushed our NHS to the brink and it is up to Labour to fix it and make it fit for the future?
Minister reply
Absolutely.
Darren Paffey
Lab
Southampton Itchen
Question
The amazing NHS staff in my constituency work tirelessly, day in and day out, in our local hospitals and surgeries. Will my right hon. Friend join me in thanking them, and will he be clear that Lord Darzi’s shocking findings are not on them, but on the appalling legacy of the Conservatives, who still have not apologised?
Minister reply
NHS staff did not break the NHS—the Conservatives did—and this Labour Government will mobilise them to help fix it.
Anna Dixon
Lab
Shipley
Question
It was great to see the Prime Minister speaking this morning at the King’s Fund, where I worked as director of policy for a number of years. In my constituency, I met a man who had been told he needed urgent surgery on his leg, but was still waiting 18 months later and had had to give up work. It is clear from today’s report that too many people have been stuck on NHS waiting lists and locked out of work. Does the Secretary of State share my view that a healthy nation is critical to a healthy economy, and will he work with his colleagues in the Department for Work and Pensions to deliver that?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend is absolutely right: the health of the nation and the health of the economy are inextricably linked. Under this Government, the Department of Health and Social Care is a Department for growth as well as a Department for health and care.
Shadow Comment
Victoria Atkins
Shadow Comment
The shadow response acknowledged the significant pressures facing the NHS but highlighted achievements under previous Conservative governments including a record number of doctors, nurses, out-patient appointments, diagnostic tests, and community care facilities. The shadow emphasised the rapid rollout of vaccines during the pandemic, leading to faster societal recovery compared to other countries.
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