"That is certainly the case and applies to many parts of the country, including areas represented by Government Members.
I do not think any hospital has had more money spent on it than University College hospital in my constituency, the rebuilding of which, I freely admit, was authorised when I …..." Frank Dobson - View Speech
"In reference to the point the hon. Lady made to the previous intervention, does she agree with Professor Keogh—a most excellent man—that there is a strong correlation between the extent to which staff feel engaged and mortality rates, thus indicating that caring about staff is absolutely crucial if we are …..." Frank Dobson - View Speech
"That is the most extraordinary speech I have heard from a Secretary of State for Health in all my years in this House. As a former Secretary of State, I know that Secretaries of State cannot be responsible for everything, but this is the first speech in which a Secretary …..." Frank Dobson - View Speech
"Does the Secretary of State accept that when NHS Direct was operating, nurses had the professional competence to decide not to refer people to A and E, and to provide reassuring advice? They have been replaced by call handlers who, understandably, opt to send people to A and E because …..." Frank Dobson - View Speech
"I will not follow the right hon. Member for Mid Sussex (Nicholas Soames) in referring to Europe, other than to say I regret the possibility that European competition law will in future apply to the national health service, which will no doubt be exploited by major American health corporations.
"Let me demonstrate the absolutely vile morality—if I can combine those two words—of the tobacco industry. When it was discovered that nicotine was addictive, the industry increased the proportion of nicotine in cigarettes to make them more addictive. People like that should not be listened to; they should be shown …..." Frank Dobson - View Speech
"Does the hon. Gentleman agree that the argument sometimes put by defenders of the tobacco industry—usually paid defenders—is that people are exercising free choice? In fact, they are not exercising free choice because they are addicts who took up the addiction when tobacco companies persuaded them to smoke when they …..." Frank Dobson - View Speech
"Does the Minister accept that a generalised rating for a hospital is not going to be valuable because, within one hospital, some departments might be doing a brilliant job while others are not? It would be stupid if an overall rating persuaded people not to go to a particular hospital …..." Frank Dobson - View Speech
"I congratulate the hon. Member for Stafford (Jeremy Lefroy) on his thoughtful contribution to the debate. We all owe it to the people of Stafford and those round about, all of whom depend on Mid Staffs, to ask the Secretary of State to guarantee that nothing and no one is …..." Frank Dobson - View Speech
"Does the hon. Gentleman not agree that one characteristic of involving lawyers is that there is a lot of money around, and it goes to them? Would it not be better spent trying to ensure that performance standards are enhanced, rather than employing lawyers to have a go at the …..." Frank Dobson - View Speech