Topical Questions 2020-03-10
2020-03-10
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Direct Answer
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Concerns about care staff lacking access to personal protective equipment during the coronavirus outbreak.
The Secretary of State says that he is all over this issue, so what plans does he have to ensure that care staff have access to protective equipment to protect them and the people they care for?
Of course care staff too are absolutely vital in the national effort to address coronavirus, not least because of the increased risk to many people who are in residential settings and who receive domiciliary care. The work to make sure that protective equipment is available extends to social care staff. Of course, most social care is provided through private businesses, and the delivery model is therefore different, but that does not make it any less important. I am very happy for the hon. Lady and the Minister for Care to have a meeting to make sure that we can listen to the concerns that she has heard about, because we want to address them.
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Q2
Direct Answer
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Concern about the impact of self-isolation on the care workforce, leading to staffing shortages.
There are already 120,000 vacancies in the care workforce and we now face the prospect of large numbers of care staff having to self-isolate because of coronavirus. With the NHS also needing staff, as we have discussed already, what plans does the Secretary of State have to ensure that care providers are still able to fulfil their contracts and provide their clients with support?
This is also an incredibly important issue that we are considering and working on. We will make sure that we address any barriers to social care operating. In all contingency plans on the reasonable worst-case scenario, plans are needed for being able to operate with a 20% reduction in workforce, but making sure that the best care can be provided in what is going to be a difficult time for social care is a really important part of the effort that we are making.
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Q3
Direct Answer
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Criticism of the Prime Minister's morning television interview regarding handling the pandemic.
The Secretary of State is absolutely right to say that we need to take advantage of all the medical evidence. In the light of that, is it not deeply damaging for the Prime Minister to go on morning television and start musing on the idea that we might have a theory of letting coronavirus have its bounce out and see how it goes? Does that not absolutely fly in the face of the efforts that the Secretary of State is making? Can he clarify that that is not the policy of this Government and tell us what the hell the Prime Minister was talking about?
No, the hon. Gentleman is wrong to raise this issue in this way. It was addressed in the House yesterday actually—the Prime Minister was explaining that that is not Government policy.
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Q4
Direct Answer
Preet Kaur Gill
QT6
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The shadow Health Secretary asked an urgent question about emergency legislation for tackling coronavirus, focusing on statutory sick pay.
Will the emergency legislation include specific proposals to remove the lower earnings limit of £118 per week in order to provide access to statutory sick pay for 1.8 million low-paid workers?
I can confirm that we will ensure that whatever the status of people working across the economy, whether they are self-employed or employed but working fewer than the set number of hours a week, they will get the support that means they are not penalised for doing the right thing.
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Q5
Direct Answer
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The hospital provides specialist care for people with HIV/AIDS, and there are concerns about its closure due to financial pressures.
At a time when the NHS is under pressure as never before because of coronavirus, does the Secretary of State agree that closing Mildmay Mission Hospital would be an act of unbelievable folly? Can he commit today to providing the much needed additional funding of £5 million a year to save this very important hospital?
I welcome, as I am sure we all do, the huge advances in HIV/AIDS care and treatment in recent years. Following a meeting with the trust to discuss the issue and the way forward, the right forum in which to find the right way forward is driven by the clinical evidence of the right approach.
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Q6
Direct Answer
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There are reports that people with symptoms of coronavirus are being refused a test because they cannot name an individual who has been diagnosed with the virus.
Will the Secretary of State confirm whether it is indeed policy not to test those with symptoms who cannot be contact traced, or whether many people are simply having a bad 111 experience?
The 111 protocols are of course driven by the clinicians. I will look into the specifics of the case that the hon. Lady mentions was raised in the other place yesterday, but we keep those protocols under constant review—not least as the epidemiology of the virus changes—to ensure that we have the very best advice.
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Q7
Direct Answer
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The hospitals Minister has been personally attentive to Kettering General Hospital and progress on the delivery of a new facility is being inquired about.
I thank my hon. Friend the hospitals Minister for his personal attention to Kettering General Hospital, and for the plans for a new £46 million urgent care hub. Can he assure me that progress on the delivery of that facility is on track?
I am happy to give my hon. Friend that assurance. The fact that the money is being invested is largely due to his campaigning efforts and those of his colleagues. I look forward to the opportunity to visit him again soon, and to see progress on the ground when I meet the team.
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