Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Health Outcomes: Public-Private Partnerships

Tuesday 1 March 2022 · 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 1 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Ministerial Department is taking steps to improve health outcomes through public-private partnerships.
  • Partnerships between public and private sectors have been crucial during the pandemic for securing resources to protect public health.
  • Government advises on incorporating fibre into the diet through the "Eatwell Guide".

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Peter Dowd Lab Bootle
NHS
Context

During the pandemic, public-private sector collaborations were crucial for securing resources to protect public health. The question focuses on whether steps are being taken to improve health outcomes through such partnerships.

Question

Whether his Department is taking steps to help improve health outcomes through the implementation of public-private partnerships. Throughout the pandemic, partnerships between the public and private sectors have been vital in securing the resources to protect public health. Independent sector providers delivered almost 7 million episodes of care for NHS patients between April 2020 and December 2021 according to hospital episode statistics data.

Answer from Edward Argar

Throughout the pandemic, partnerships between the public and private sectors have been vital in securing the resources to protect public health. As one element of that partnership, independent sector providers delivered almost 7 million episodes of care for NHS patients between April 2020 and December 2021 according to hospital episode statistics data. We continue to support the partnership approach more broadly as part of our plans both to tackle the backlog of elective care and to improve broader health outcomes.

Answered
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Q2 Peter Dowd Lab Bootle
Context

The national diet and nutrition survey indicates that average intakes of dietary fibre in the UK are below recommended levels compared to other countries like Denmark. The question asks whether the Minister has considered implementing an initiative similar to those in Denmark, which involves public-private partnerships to increase wholegrain consumption.

Question

I thank the Minister for that response. As he is aware, the national diet and nutrition survey has shown that average intakes of dietary fibre in the United Kingdom are well below recommended levels and less than a quarter of those of countries such as Denmark, where the Government work across industry on a public-private partnership basis to boost wholegrain intakes. What consideration has the Minister given to implementing such an initiative in the United Kingdom to provide a much-needed boost in fibre intakes among the public?

Answer from Edward Argar

The hon. Gentleman makes a typically sensible and reasonable point. Government advice on a healthy balanced diet is encapsulated in the UK's national food model, the “Eatwell Guide”. It includes advice on incorporating fibre into the diet through fruit and vegetables, bread, rice and pasta. We set nutritional standards for catering in all Government Departments and related organisations to improve the nutritional content of food served, including increasing fibre. I agree that it would be helpful to increase intakes of fibre in our diet, guided appropriately by clinical and medical advice, and a key element of achieving that is working with industry.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Minister did not commit to implementing an initiative similar to Denmark's public-private partnership for boosting wholegrain intakes.

How: Working With Industry

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