Written Question
Thursday 14th February 2019
Asked by:
Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)
Question
to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to achieve the 95 per cent four-hour A&E waiting time in (a) Herefordshire and (b) England.
Answered by Stephen Hammond
Wye Valley NHS Trust is taking several steps to improve accident and emergency performance in its locality. The Trust received £3.6 million capital funding in 2018 to create a modular build 24 bedded ward – increasing its overall bed base capacity to 246. The Trust has also established a ‘front-door frailty service’ within the Emergency Department to support patients outside of hospital admissions where clinically appropriate. In addition, the Trust is currently recruiting to additional clinical staff within the Emergency Department, including consultant posts across medical specialities to deliver robust seven-day working.
Nationally, NHS England’s ‘Operational and Planning Guidance for 2019/20’ sets out deliverables against key performance areas and the Government expects the National Health Service to deliver these actions in full as key steps towards fully recovering performance against core access standards.
The NHS Long Term Plan, launched by the NHS on 7 January 2018, will transform urgent and emergency care. The plan is supported by a £20.5 billion real terms investment by 2023/24.
The Government has also supported the NHS with an additional £1.6 billion for 2018/19 to improve emergency and elective performance. In addition, more than £420 million has been provided specifically for this winter.
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 04 Feb 2019
Orkambi
"Last week, one of my constituents, whose daughter suffers from cystic fibrosis, came to see me. He explained that every year that access to Orkambi or other such similar drugs is delayed takes 10 years off the life of his daughter.
My constituent explained how the long hours in hospital …..."Bill Wiggin - View Speech
View all Bill Wiggin (Con - North Herefordshire) contributions to the debate on: Orkambi
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 04 Feb 2019
Orkambi
"I suggest that the hon. Gentleman hears the rest of the speech before he expects to draw any conclusions.
Cystic fibrosis is a life-limiting genetic disorder. Patients with cystic fibrosis experience a build-up of thick mucus in their lungs. This can have a wide range of effects on their respiratory, …..."Bill Wiggin - View Speech
View all Bill Wiggin (Con - North Herefordshire) contributions to the debate on: Orkambi
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 04 Feb 2019
Orkambi
"I am sure that the hon. Gentleman’s constituents will be grateful to him for raising the issue in the House this evening.
Every week, five babies are born with the disease, according to Great Ormond Street Hospital, and every week two young people die as a result of cystic fibrosis. …..."Bill Wiggin - View Speech
View all Bill Wiggin (Con - North Herefordshire) contributions to the debate on: Orkambi
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 04 Feb 2019
Orkambi
"No, I do not agree. The purpose of this debate is to a show an alternative that allows NICE to spend taxpayers’ money on drugs for other conditions while still allowing cystic fibrosis sufferers to have access to this vital drug—and not just to Orkambi, but to the next generation …..."Bill Wiggin - View Speech
View all Bill Wiggin (Con - North Herefordshire) contributions to the debate on: Orkambi
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 04 Feb 2019
Orkambi
"First, let me say how sorry I am to hear about the hon. Lady’s niece. We should take this very seriously. The figures that I have are even worse than the ones that she has laid out.
The price remains inaccessibly high, and this is entirely due to the powerful …..."Bill Wiggin - View Speech
View all Bill Wiggin (Con - North Herefordshire) contributions to the debate on: Orkambi
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 04 Feb 2019
Orkambi
"I tragically allowed the hon. Gentleman’s intervention one sentence too early. I was about to say that Crown use licensing would make the drug available to cystic fibrosis sufferers at a reduced price on the NHS, so I absolutely agree.
Those are just a few examples of how Crown use …..."Bill Wiggin - View Speech
View all Bill Wiggin (Con - North Herefordshire) contributions to the debate on: Orkambi
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 04 Feb 2019
Orkambi
"I have. This drug would cost £104,000 if bought from Vertex and about £5,000 if it were made generically, so there is a huge saving...."Bill Wiggin - View Speech
View all Bill Wiggin (Con - North Herefordshire) contributions to the debate on: Orkambi
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 04 Feb 2019
Orkambi
"I am not quite sure I follow. I would have been much more sympathetic to Vertex if it had not been doing share buybacks. If a company expects to make $13 billion of profit, it will have factored into its calculations a reasonable profit margin. I believe that Vertex has …..."Bill Wiggin - View Speech
View all Bill Wiggin (Con - North Herefordshire) contributions to the debate on: Orkambi
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 04 Feb 2019
Orkambi
"I absolutely agree, which is why I am suggesting that the Crown use licence ought to be used and taken seriously. I imagine that people working for Vertex are listening closely to this debate. They will have heard the hon. Lady’s point, and I think they need to move on …..."Bill Wiggin - View Speech
View all Bill Wiggin (Con - North Herefordshire) contributions to the debate on: Orkambi