Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Local Health Services: Consultation

Tuesday 13 April 2021 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Steve McCabe asked about steps taken to ensure patient consultation on local health services.
  • The Government emphasized commitment to patient-centered health services and mentioned Healthwatch England as an independent patient champion.
  • Steve McCabe raised a case about the closure of Goodrest Croft GP surgery in his constituency without consultation.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Steve McCabe Lab
NHS
Context

The MP asked about steps being taken to ensure patients are consulted on the provision of their local health services. The context includes concerns over whether patients are adequately involved in decisions affecting them.

Question

What steps he is taking to ensure patients are consulted on the provision of their local health services?

Answer from Edward Argar (Minister of State for Health and Social Care)

The Government are committed to putting patients at the centre of our health service. Patients are consulted on their local health services in a wide variety of contexts, including through Healthwatch England, the independent national champion for patients. When a major or substantial reconfiguration or change to services is proposed, the local clinical commissioning group is legally required to hold a consultation with local people.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask regarding steps being taken was not fully addressed; instead, general commitments and existing frameworks were mentioned without concrete new actions.

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Q2 Steve McCabe Lab
NHS
Context

The MP wrote to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care about the closure of Goodrest Croft GP surgery, which serves over 6,000 patients in his constituency without prior consultation. The decision was made by Birmingham and Solihull clinical commissioning group during the pandemic.

Question

I wrote to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care about this issue a month ago. Last December, amid the pandemic, Birmingham and Solihull clinical commissioning group decided to close Goodrest Croft GP surgery—which has more than 6,000 patients—in my constituency. The CCG did not consult anyone because apparently it is not required to do so. Does the Minister find that acceptable?

Answer from Edward Argar (Minister of State for Health and Social Care)

Although I am not familiar with the detail of the specific local case the hon. Gentleman raises, I am happy to meet him to discuss it if that is helpful to him.

Not addressed: The specific question about the acceptability of closing a GP surgery without consultation was not addressed; instead, an offer to meet was made.

How: Meeting Offer

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