Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Patient Waiting Times

Tuesday 15 October 2024 · 7 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 5 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Department assesses patient waiting times as inadequate due to the previous Conservative Government's impact on the NHS.
  • The government found 100 million to employ 1,000 more GPs before the end of the financial year.
  • The government is committed to doubling medical school places to train more GPs.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Karl Turner Ind Kingston upon Hull East
NHS
Context

The MP noted concerns about inadequate patient waiting times and criticised the previous government for worsening NHS conditions.

Question

What assessment has his Department made of the adequacy of patient waiting times in light of the previous Conservative Government's impact on the NHS?

Answer from Wes Streeting

Waiting times are wholly inadequate. The previous Conservative Government took a golden inheritance and left behind the worst crisis in NHS history, failing to accept responsibility or apologise.

Answered
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Q2 Karl Turner Ind Kingston upon Hull East
NHS
Context

The MP highlighted disparities in GP numbers between Kingston upon Thames and Kingston upon Hull, emphasizing the need for more GPs.

Question

I pay tribute to my own family GP who goes above and beyond. However, I know that GPs are troubled by patient waiting times. In Kingston upon Thames, a GP looks after 1,800 patients but in Kingston upon Hull it is double that number. What is his right hon Friend doing about the Tory mess?

Answer from Wes Streeting

Thank you for highlighting Dr Islam's efforts. We have found £100 million to employ 1,000 more GPs before the end of this financial year, acknowledging that more GPs are needed in the country.

Answered
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Q3 Priti Patel Con Witham
NHS
Context

The MP inquired about the potential for expanding local medical schools to support GP recruitment.

Question

Patient waiting times are reduced through more GPs. Will he welcome work of Anglia Ruskin medical school and discuss how it could expand to recruit and train more GPs?

Answer from Wes Streeting

I welcome the right hon Lady's point. We are committed to doubling medical school places, offering real opportunities for local universities such as hers. I would be delighted to meet her about this.

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Q4 Abtisam Mohamed Lab Sheffield Central
NHS
Context

The MP discussed her experience shadowing a local GP and asked for commitment to primary care services.

Question

News of recruiting more GPs is welcome. I spent time with a local GP seeing how stretched the service was. Will he commit to moving towards investment in primary care services?

Answer from Wes Streeting

We are committed to increasing primary care as part of NHS's budget and building neighbourhood health services with more care closer to homes. General practice has a key role.

Answered
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Q5 Layla Moran Lib Dem Oxford West and Abingdon
NHS
Context

The MP highlighted the usefulness of Lord Darzi's technical annex for measuring NHS improvements.

Question

What we measure often improves. The technical annex in Lord Darzi's report is useful and a baseline. Will he ensure it is updated yearly?

Answer from Wes Streeting

Absolutely committed to transparency, keeping the dataset updated yearly as requested. We face challenges rather than pretending they do not exist.

Answered
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Q6 Ben Spencer Con Runnymede and Weybridge
Context

The MP questioned the lack of progress on preventing smoking among children.

Question

The Prime Minister stresses importance of preventing smoking. According to data, 280 children under 16 take up smoking daily in England since his first 100 days. Why has he not reintroduced Tobacco and Vapes Bill?

Answer from Wes Streeting

His party was divided on issue, unfinished Bill at end of government term. We will deliver a stronger smoking bill unlike previous weak Government.

Not addressed: Specific timeline for reintroduction of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill

How: Criticizing Opposition, Historical Context

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Q7 Helen Morgan Lib Dem North Shropshire
NHS
Context

A constituent with terminal cancer faced significant delays in diagnosis and treatment, missing all targets set by the NHS. This is not an isolated incident in Shropshire or nationally.

Question

My constituent Mel Lycett has terminal cancer. After repeated visits to her GP, she was referred to a two-week urgent pathway in May. She was not diagnosed until the end of July, and she still has not started treatment. Every single target for her diagnosis and treatment was missed. That is not uncommon in Shropshire, and it is not uncommon in the rest of the country. Can the Secretary of State reassure me of what he is doing to deal with this terrible legacy left behind by the Conservative Government? How will he ensure that cancer patients are treated in a timely manner?

Answer from Wes Streeting

I welcome the hon. Lady to her role. I am afraid that this case is just one of countless stories of people whose lives might have been saved had the NHS been there for them when they needed it. It is bad enough when people receive a late diagnosis that equates to a death sentence; it is worse still when people in that position are not given the fighting chance of urgent, life-extending treatment. The inheritance we have received is truly shameful. I assure the hon. Lady, as a cancer survivor myself—because the NHS was there for me when I needed it—that we will work tirelessly through a national cancer plan to make sure that we deliver the cancer waiting time standards that the last Labour Government met, and that are sorely needed today.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answerer did not provide specific actions or commitments on how they will ensure timely treatment for cancer patients beyond a commitment to work through a national cancer plan.

How: We Will Work Tirelessly, Through A National Cancer Plan

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