Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Health Disparities

Wednesday 8 March 2023 · 4 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 4 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Health disparities exist across various conditions, contributing to variation in health outcomes.
  • The Government aims to address disparities through a major conditions strategy and work with NHS England.
  • The Government has established a maternity disparities taskforce to drive down disparities in maternal health.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 James Duddridge Con
NHS
Context

The question addresses ongoing issues with health inequalities across England and seeks updates on government initiatives.

Question

What recent progress the Government have made on tackling health disparities?

Answer from Maria Caulfield

Health disparities exist across a wide variety of conditions, from cancer to mental health, and contribute to the unacceptable variation in health outcomes. The major conditions strategy that we are launching will therefore apply a geographical lens to end the disparities in health outcomes across England.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide specific details on recent progress or actions taken, instead referenced a future initiative.

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Q2 James Duddridge Con
NHS
Context

The question follows up on comments by Sir Chris Whitty about health inequalities in coastal regions such as Southend, and seeks specific actions from the government.

Question

I thank the Minister for that reply, but what does she make of the interesting comments by Sir Chris Whitty about health inequalities in coastal areas, such as Southend, and what are the Government proposing to do about those inequalities?

Answer from Maria Caulfield

My hon. Friend is absolutely right that there are disparities. There is an eight-year difference in life expectancy between a woman born in Blackpool and a woman born in Woking, and we want to end that. That is why our major conditions strategy is in parallel with the work that NHS England is doing on its Core20PLUS5, where we are targeting the 20% most deprived populations and the five key health conditions that are making those disparities apparent today.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not specifically address coastal areas or Southend, instead referenced general initiatives and statistics.

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Q3 Martin Docherty SNP
Women & Equalities Mental Health
Context

The question highlights the significant life expectancy gap between women with learning disabilities and those in the general population, raising concerns about mental health impacts.

Question

The average life expectancy of a woman with a learning disability is around 18 years shorter than women in the general population, so on this International Women's Day, what can the Minister say to women with learning disabilities about the disparity in their life expectancy in Britain?

Answer from Maria Caulfield

The hon. Gentleman makes a very good point and that is exactly why mental health is part of the major conditions strategy. People with mental health and learning disabilities do suffer from poorer physical health, and that is why it is crucial that we do not see—[Interruption.] If he listened to me, he would have heard that I said “learning disabilities”. It is crucial that we do not see people with a learning disability in isolation, and that we look after their physical health, as well as the conditions they suffer from.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide specific commitments or actions for women with learning disabilities; instead referenced general policy statements.

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Q4 Yasmin Qureshi Lab Bolton South and Walkden
NHS
Context

The question addresses significant disparities in maternal mortality rates between different socio-economic groups, especially highlighting the higher risk for black women.

Question

Pregnant women who live in the poorest areas of England are twice as likely to die than those living in the most affluent areas. Shockingly, black women are four times more likely to die during childbirth. This Government have had 13 years, but have failed to tackle maternal health inequalities. What action is the Minister taking to address these appalling disparities?

Answer from Maria Caulfield

This is why we have set up the maternity disparities taskforce. We are working with the chief midwife to drive down those disparities, and we are working with NHS England. Maternity is one of those Core20PLUS5 elements, because we recognise that there is huge disparity across the country, which we want to eliminate.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide specific actions or timelines for reducing disparities; instead referenced existing initiatives without details on outcomes.

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