Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Kelvin Hopkins and Dan Poulter

Tuesday 21st October 2014 Commons Chamber

[Dr Poulter]

My hon. Friend makes an important point. The PFI schemes negotiated by the previous Government were, quite frankly, disastrous for many hospitals. His hospital has seen that the way forward is to buy out the PFI and free up more money for front-line patient care. We will support as many more hospitals in doing that as can be achieved, because this is about making sure that we deliver more money for NHS patients.

[Kelvin Hopkins (Luton North) (Lab)]

I was fascinated by the question from the hon. Member for Hexham (Guy Opperman). Would not the simple solution be to take all PFI assets back into public ownership, reintegrate them with hospitals’ existing assets, and save millions of pounds for hospitals every year and billions of pounds for the public purse over time?

[Dr Poulter]

I understand that the hon. Gentleman is unhappy with the way in which the previous Government negotiated PFI contracts. We are unhappy with it as well, because it is costing the NHS almost £2 billion on current forecasts. We are making sure that we can put in place measures to support hospitals in mitigating the worst excesses of these poorly signed PFI deals.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Kelvin Hopkins and Dan Poulter

Tuesday 26th February 2013 Commons Chamber

[Dr Poulter]

The hon. Lady is absolutely right to highlight the fact that service changes have to be clinically led, meet the tests we have outlined and engage with communities effectively, but the point is that the previous Government also redesigned and changed services, very often for the benefit of patients. When the redesign of services is clinically led and services are better delivered for patients, that has to be a good thing so let us look at these proposals. If they are clinically led, let us see whether they deliver improved care for patients, and if they do, it is the right thing to do.

[Kelvin Hopkins (Luton North) (Lab)]

6. What assessment his Department has made of harm caused to babies by alcohol consumed during pregnancy; and if he will make a statement.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Kelvin Hopkins and Dan Poulter

Tuesday 15th January 2013 Commons Chamber

[Dr Poulter]

We know that it takes five or sometimes six years for doctors to complete their medical training. The key difference is that under the plans left by the last Government not all doctors were guaranteed places of work in the NHS after completing their training, whereas the present Government are ensuring that they find NHS jobs. That is why we have 5,000 more doctors in the NHS. The same applies to midwives: under the last Government they were not finding places after completing their training, but under this Government they are, and there are 800 more of them.

[Kelvin Hopkins (Luton North) (Lab)]

12. What steps he plans to take to address damage to health caused by alcohol consumption.