Ageing and End-of-life Care
Lee Pitcher Excerpts(5 days, 2 hours ago)
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Jim Shannon
I thank the right hon. Member for his intervention and for the wisdom that he brings to all the debates he participates in. The Minister is listening, and he is a good Minister, so I know he will come back with the response we hope to have.
How often have we listened to family members who are past themselves with exhaustion and guilt about how they are caring for their loved one and who feel unprepared and yet unwilling to let them go into nursing care? With more support, their lives would be easier and their loved one’s life happier. This knowledge is why I was not surprised to learn that almost £12 billion of public funds was spent on healthcare for people in their last year of life, 81% of which was spent in hospital, with only 11% spent on primary and community care.
Access to a 24/7 palliative care advice and support telephone line has been recommended as a minimum service requirement for nearly two decades, but research shows that very little has happened, which underlines the issue that the right hon. Member for New Forest East (Sir Julian Lewis) raised. Only seven of the 42 integrated care boards in England said they have a dedicated 24/7 single point of access to palliative and end-of-life care advice, guidance and onward referral to other services, when needed—those are all important factors.
Despite the introduction of a new legal duty for ICBs to commission palliative care services in the Health and Care Act 2022, the urgency and importance of ensuring that everyone has the best possible care and support at the end of life has yet to be recognised as a national priority. I hope the Minister will be able to provide assurance on this, because that is what Marie Curie wants, it is what Sue Ryder wants, and it is what every mum, dad and family member wants as well.
Lee Pitcher (Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme) (Lab)
The day I get to intervene on such an amazing Member is a remarkable day. I live in a very rural area where there are places with real socioeconomic deprivation. I know for a fact that there is huge inequality in those kinds of areas when it comes to palliative care. Does he agree that the Minister and the Government need to look at how to reduce that inequality over the next 10 years?
GP Services: Melton and Syston
Lee Pitcher Excerpts(5 days, 2 hours ago)
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Dr Ahmed
As a medical practitioner, I can assure the right hon. Member that he is ageing well, and I am sure he has many more years of service to give.
I will now take on some of the challenges that the right hon. Member said faced GP services in Melton Mowbray and Syston. He is knowledgeable—possibly more knowledgeable than me—about the Carr-Hill formula. I can assure him that my hon. Friend the Minister for Care, whose portfolio this comes under, is very engaged in reforming the Carr-Hill formula. I am sure he would be pleased to give an update on how he is getting on with that. The right hon. Member wishes for a meeting with the Minister of State, and I would be delighted to arrange that for him—I am afraid I cannot confirm the location, but I can certainly arrange the meeting.
When asked about their top priority for the NHS, the public overwhelmingly call for us to fix general practice and access to it. That is at the heart of what people care about in this country, and it is what they need first and foremost from their health service. General practice remains the front door to our NHS, delivering vital care to millions across this country, yet we all know the challenges faced by both patients and GPs—the right hon. Member alluded to many of them in his excellent speech: access to appointments, capacity and workforce pressures, to name but a few. The Government are absolutely committed to tackling these issues, to ensure that everyone receives the care they deserve.
Lee Pitcher (Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme) (Lab)
On the subject of capacity, one of the biggest concerns that is raised with me when new houses are proposed for a particular area of Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme is access to appointments in the future. Can the Minister reassure me and my residents that discussions take place between his Department and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on forecasting future appointments, to ensure that everyone gets the support that they require?
Dr Ahmed
That relates to the point made by the right hon. Member for Melton and Syston about section 106 funding. It would definitely be in the spirit of mission-driven government to work collaboratively across Departments—in this case, the Department of Health and Social Care and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government—to ensure that, as we build the millions of homes that we wish to in the lifetime of this Parliament, we do not neglect the services required to make those homes happy and fulfilling for the communities who live in them.
Timely access to GP appointments is at the heart of a strong and responsive healthcare system. To deliver more appointments, we must have more GPs. That is why, in October 2024, we took decisive action, investing £160 million in the additional roles reimbursement scheme, or ARRS. This targeted funding has enabled the recruitment of over 2,500 new GPs across England, directly increasing appointment availability and improving care for thousands of patients. Our new £102 million primary care utilisation and modernisation fund will create additional clinical space in over 1,000 GP practices. That will enable them to deliver over 8.3 million more appointments, further expanding appointment capacity and enhancing patient care. In our newly published medium-term planning framework, we have also set an ambitious new target for practices to deliver all urgent appointments on the same day, helping to ensure that patients who need urgent care will be prioritised.
This Government have invested an additional £1.1 billion in general practice—the largest such investment in over a decade. This 8.9% boost to GP contract funding for 2025-26 surpasses the overall NHS budget growth, marking a generational uplift in funding, and it means that we are beginning to reverse a decade of a dwindling share of NHS resources going to general practice.
We are not just investing but reforming contracts, giving GPs streamlined targets, incentivising improved continuity of care for those who would most benefit—usually people with chronic illness—and, crucially, requiring practices to make it possible for patients to go online to request an appointment throughout the duration of core opening hours. That will also free up time for patients who might require an in-person visit or a phone call.
I turn to the GP-patient ratio in Melton and Syston. As a result of our investment, primary care networks in Melton and Syston have recruited an additional 64 GPs through the additional roles reimbursement scheme, bringing patients in the right hon. Member’s constituency the care they need. Today, the median number of doctors in general practice per 10,000 registered patients in Melton and Syston is 6.2 full-time equivalents, which is above the England median of 5.6 full-time equivalents.
I reassure the House that we are listening to patients in the right hon. Member’s constituency and trying our best to respond to their needs. For the first time, more patients are contacting their GP online than by phone. That is why, from 1 October, we extended access to GP online services throughout core hours—8 am to 6.30 pm—making it easier for patients to reach their practice in their preferred way. That is a huge step in delivering our manifesto commitment to ending the 8 am scramble, which has long been a barrier to care up and down the country.
Most importantly, practices already using online systems have gone on to see bigger improvements. If I may talk about London for a moment, one London GP surgery reduced its waits from 14 days to just three, with 95% of patients seen within a week. I turn to digital health, which is transforming access in healthcare in Melton and Syston. Patients can now access their GP through the NHS app. They can use it to book appointments, order prescriptions and even receive rapid online consultations, with AI-supported triage ensuring that urgent cases are prioritised within hours.
The GP patient survey shows that in the right hon. Member’s integrated care board area of Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland, the percentage of patients using online GP services has increased from 65% to 73% over the past year. The ICB operates virtual wards as part of its “home first” strategy. It uses secure remote monitoring, which saved 11,000 bed days across Leicestershire in 2024 and enables patients in Melton and Syston to recover safely at home.
The Government have approved a spending review settlement that will bring care closer to the community, shift the NHS from sickness to prevention and from analogue to digital, and ensure that the NHS is more people-centred. We will provide additional funding by 2028-29 to bring back the family doctor by training thousands more GPs, delivering millions of appointments more over the spending review period, and building further on the 2,500 GPs already recruited.
Patient satisfaction needs to be our guiding star. As a result of all our efforts, 8 million more appointments have been delivered this year compared to last, and it is making a difference to patients’ lives. According to the latest health insights survey, 73.1% of patients reported a good overall experience. That is up from 67.4% in July 2024, and reverses years of patient dissatisfaction.
I understand that the development of a new primary care facility in the right hon. Member’s constituency has been a matter of local concern for some time. I am grateful to him for bringing it to the Government’s attention. I have been informed that Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland ICB is working with Melton borough council to explore options to improve access and extend service capacity for Melton residents. I very much take on his suggestion that it could be a location for a health centre under the Secretary of State’s new programme of neighbourhood health centres; I will certainly pass that on to the Secretary of State.
The ICB is working with Latham House to increase the ways in which the practice can support local residents. Proposals include a new digital suite at the main site, and an approved redevelopment of a property owned by the practice on Sherrard Street to extend clinical services. The ICB and Melton borough council will continue to meet to discuss progress. The ICB will revisit the scheme’s progression in the fourth quarter of 2026-27 to allow more certainty about developer contribution, the impact of new registrations and staffing availability.
Let me talk briefly about industrial action. The Government are firmly committed to supporting general practice, and we want to continue engaging constructively with colleagues in the profession as we shape the future of general practice together. Since coming into office just over a year ago, this Government have made significant strides in supporting general practice, and we are asking our colleagues in general practice not to close the door on patients, but to work with the Government to rebuild the NHS for the benefit of patients in the right hon. Member’s constituency, and indeed the country.
In conclusion, everything that this Government have done since the election has been geared towards saving the NHS and giving it back to the people, primarily through the lens of community and largely through general practice. We are placing power back into the hands of patients—where it rightly belongs—because this is their health service and it must work for them. Ensuring that every patient has access to the care they need is not just a priority; it is a guiding star for this Government. The Government are committed to delivering on that promise. I end by associating myself with the remarks of the right hon. Member about the hard-working staff in GP practices up and down our constituencies, and the quality of care that they provide. I know how hard it is to work in difficult circumstances, and it is this Government’s job to make the working lives of those staff easier, more valuable and more fulfilling. I look forward to working constructively with the right hon. Member, to the benefit of patients and citizens up and down Melton and Syston.
Question put and agreed to.
Suicide Prevention
Lee Pitcher Excerpts(1 month, 3 weeks ago)
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Lee Pitcher (Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme) (Lab)
I beg to move,
That this House has considered suicide prevention.
Before I begin, I want to share for the benefit of anyone watching or anyone in this Chamber who may ever need it that help is available: 24/7 crisis mental health support can be accessed by calling NHS 111 and selecting option 2, or by calling the Samaritans, whose badge I proudly wear today, on 116 123. I cannot thank the Backbench Business Committee enough for granting this debate in the main Chamber. The Committee’s recognition of just how important it is for this issue to be heard here is in itself hugely symbolic.
Let me start with the worker who was on stand-by, who in the early hours of the morning was called to deal with the death of a man from suicide, who was found in the trees, alone on some open land. That worker, having dealt with the immediate response, then reflected and thought about the true impact of managing that situation. He failed to sleep for the rest of the week, and never once slept well again when on his stand-by duties.
To the family of John, he was a massive West Ham fan who loved Motörhead and the genius of Pink Floyd. His mum, who found him that day, experienced that thing no parents should ever have to endure: their baby, who they once cradled, leaving this world before them.
That worker on stand-by, that cousin of John, that is me. We got that call about John as we prepared to go to another family member’s funeral—that chilling call that no one ever wants to receive. John had decided he could no longer go on living with his demons, and felt that the only way to gain peace was to end his life. Right now, as we speak today, there are many other Johns out there making a similar choice. Like our John, they will be someone’s son, dad, brother, uncle, cousin, friend or colleague.
From that day on, we vowed as a family that the best thing we could do in John’s memory was to ensure that we helped show people a different path, so that that dreaded call could never happen to anyone else. Whether it is by raising funds through marathons, maximising our use of social media to highlight support or, for me, securing this debate, we are all doing everything we can for John. While none of this can bring John back to his gorgeous sister Jacqui, who is watching this in Australia, or to my auntie and uncle, there will be some comfort that his personal fight may prevent others’ pain in the future.
Today, using the privilege of being elected to this place, I will use my voice to try to make a difference. I have shared my story, because I want everyone to remember how common, unfortunately, these situations are; so many of us will tragically get that heartbreaking call about a family member, friend or colleague at some stage in our lives. I am also sharing this because, just by raising the subject in this place, we give suicide prevention a national platform, from which we can strive to share best practice and find new ways to take action to make a difference and save lives.
Compared with other leading causes of death, suicide remains poorly understood. The stigma that still clings to it stops people reaching out and isolates the families left behind. Breaking that stigma requires us to talk openly and honestly in places such as this Chamber. As I am sure you agree, Madam Deputy Speaker, there are not many subjects on which simply having a debate has the potential to save lives, but today we have that opportunity, and my hope is that hon. Members will use it as a chance to shift perceptions and push back stigma, and perhaps it will be heard by someone who needs it.
On 10 September every year we mark World Suicide Prevention Day. It is a chance to remember those we have lost, to stand with those who are struggling and to commit to doing all we can to reduce the number of lives lost. This year’s theme, set by the Samaritans, is interrupting suicidal thoughts, and that is what we must do in this Chamber—interrupt the silence, interrupt the stigma and push for change.
The statistics are stark. In 2023, 7,055 people across the UK lost their lives to suicide. It remains the leading cause of death for men under 50 and for men and women aged 20 to 34, and suicide among teenage girls and young women has nearly doubled in recent years. In Doncaster, where I live, suicide rates are above the national average; 121 lives were lost between 2021 and 2023. In the same period in North Lincolnshire, in which the Isle of Axholme lies, 41 lives were lost. Every life lost is a tragedy, but what those numbers do not show is the ripple effect. Every statistic represents a family and network of friends, colleagues and acquaintances who are all affected. Suicide may often happen alone, but it never happens in isolation.
However, suicide is not inevitable; it is preventable. Before I speak about the asks I have of the Minister and the Government, let me touch on the importance of mental health and building resilience in early life. Mental health problems often start to develop in our teenage years, and even if they do not reach crisis point until much later in life, we need to do something, which is why we cannot leave these conversations until it is too late. We need to start talking to children about mental health from an early age. This has to be done carefully and in an age-appropriate way, but just as we teach our children about eating well and staying active to look after their physical health, we should be helping them to build resilience and wellbeing for their mental health, whether that is through mindfulness, by learning how to manage stress or by knowing where to turn if they need help.
Just as importantly, we need to teach young people—again, at an appropriate time—that seeking help with suicidal thoughts is not a weakness and is not something they need to face alone. It is a medical issue and it needs medical intervention and support. There should be no more shame in reaching out for mental health support than there is in getting a prescription for insulin or picking up an inhaler.
If we can make those lessons part of growing up, we can give the next generation a far stronger chance of living a healthy, hopeful life. That is why it is so important that this Government are committed to putting a mental health professional in every school, helping to build that early resilience and understanding. That help is already in place for nearly 1 million pupils, and it will be there for every child during this Parliament. At this stage, I want to give a shout out for With Me in Mind for the amazing work it does in my area.
I will concentrate on three key areas where I would like the Government to take action. The first area is mandatory suicide prevention training for first responders and better mental health awareness across frontline services. Our police, fire and ambulance services are amazing, and their crews are often the first to respond when someone is in a suicidal crisis. In the year up to March 2025, fire and rescue services were called to more than 3,100 suicide attempts. East Midlands ambulance service alone responded to more than 20,000 incidents in 2024, and the North East ambulance service responded to more than 21,000 incidents—three times the number from just four years before.
The fact is that training on this matter is just not consistent, and we have an opportunity to do more. We know that training works. Evaluation shows that with suicide prevention knowledge, confidence and attitudes improve significantly after training. GPs who complete training are 20% more likely to identify people at risk. Equipping first responders with the skills to spot the signs, start a compassionate conversation and make an intervention will save lives.
The second area is better research into demographic gaps in suicide deaths. We know that the risks are not evenly shared; men are three times more likely to die by suicide than women, and men in deprived areas are five times more likely to do so. Too often, men are told to man up or tough it out, and they are less likely to seek help, confide or access services until it is too late. However, this is about not just how men are taught to act, but how people react to men seeking help. Research shows that nine in 10 men who died by suicide had been in touch with a statutory service in the year before their death, whether it was at A&E, through primary care or even through the criminal justice system, yet too many opportunities to help are missed. If we are serious about tackling the biggest killers, as the Government have promised, we need a clear, evidence-based programme of research into how suicide risk presents in men and how services can respond more effectively. Without that, the mental health strategy risks failing the very group it needs to help the most.
This is not just about a gender gap. People in the most deprived areas are twice as likely to die by suicide. Autistic people face three times the risk of their peers. Gay and bisexual adults face twice the risk. For trans people, the risk of a suicide attempt is four and a half times higher, and for trans youth the risk is nearly six times higher. There are huge differences in death by suicide across ethnic groups, across regions and between different kinds of employment and educational background. These differences need to be studied and understood, just as we would for any disease that affected different demographics in different areas. By studying the different demographics affected, we can learn about the causes, risk factors, preventive or protective factors and paths to recovery.
The third area is a rapid and ambitious roll-out of mental health hubs after next year’s pilots. These hubs could be transformative—local, community-based and accessible without referral or appointment. That is exactly the kind of frictionless support we need to offer. When someone is suicidal, every barrier is a potential barrier too far. No wrong doors, no delays—if someone asks for help, the system must help them. Alongside that, we must support the voluntary and community organisations that are already saving lives every single day, such as Samaritans, Mind, Andy’s Man Club, James’ Place, Men’s Sheds and local groups such as the Jackson Hope Foundation and the Shed on the Isle in my constituency. They provide the human connection that prevents suicide, but they are too often left to rely on their own fundraising. If we are serious about prevention, Government must partner with them, not leave them struggling for survival.
The Government have committed in their manifesto to tackling the biggest killers, including suicide, and to delivering the suicide prevention strategy. I urge Ministers to go faster and further; for some people listening today, time is already running short. Prevention is not just better than cure; for suicide, it is the only chance that some people will ever get. As I said, the theme for World Suicide Prevention Day is interrupting suicidal thoughts. It is the responsibility of each and every one of us to interrupt with training, with research, with services that open doors in every community. Suicide is not inevitable; it is preventable. With the right action, we can and we will save lives.
On Monday, I will be carrying the baton of hope, taking part in a relay across my constituency alongside many others to raise funds and awareness for suicide prevention. That baton is a symbol—a physical icon of mental health. It is a reminder that hope can be carried, shared and passed on to the next person. Our task in this House is to ensure that hope is met with action, so that fewer families face the grief of losing a loved one and more people find the support they need to live.
Several hon. Members rose—
Lee Pitcher
We have felt a very different kind of emotion in the Chamber this afternoon, compared with what we normally feel. The stories that have been shared have been stripped back, quite raw and very emotional. It really brings home to me the extent of the risk we are talking about here.
Let me thank all hon. Members for their contributions and for their honesty. I thank the Minister, the shadow Minister and the Liberal Democrat spokesperson. These kinds of debates are never easy, but what I have heard just shows the depth of commitment across the House to tackling suicide. What also gives me hope are the amazing organisations and volunteers who are out there every day trying to support our most vulnerable when they need it the most.
Suicide is a huge problem. We all know that there are no quick or easy solutions, and every one of us came here to challenge things like this and to make a difference. What we have heard today gives me renewed hope that change is possible. If we get it right, we can make a massive difference that will save lives. So, to use the phrase used earlier today by my hon. Friend the Member for Blaydon and Consett (Liz Twist), we do hear you, we do see you and we want to be here for you.
Question put and agreed to.
Resolved,
That this House has considered suicide prevention.
Breast Cancer Screening: Bassetlaw
Lee Pitcher Excerpts(4 months, 3 weeks ago)
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Jo White
I agree with my hon. Friend. We have data, but we remain unsure where the lowest uptake is. I would like to go to the wards in my area where uptake is low and knock on doors to encourage women to go to their screenings, so it would helpful to have precise data from the two hospitals in the Doncaster and Bassetlaw hospitals trust.
Several organisations across Bassetlaw support people with cancer, and I wish to highlight the work of Aurora in Worksop, which offers support to people during and after cancer treatment. From exercise spaces to beauty treatments, emotional support or even just a cup of tea with a friendly face and a listening ear, organisations like Aurora in our constituencies are the unsung heroes for people going through the challenge that is cancer treatment.
Lee Pitcher (Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme) (Lab)
I congratulate my hon. Friend and neighbour on securing this important debate, and on the campaign that she is leading on women and men being screened for breast cancer early. Uptake is very low nationally, which is a problem in Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme. Incredible work is done by organisations like Visit Bawtry. In October last year, over 70 organisations turned the town pink during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, raising £15,000 for breast cancer charities and, most importantly, amplifying the message that it is important to get early detection to save lives. Does my hon. Friend agree that efforts by grassroots organisations are vital, and that the Government must support them, as well as supporting improved screening access and public health messaging?
Jo White
I thank my hon. Friend for his comments, and I agree with him. Bawtry is just across the border from my constituency, and it has a very strong community. When I go to through these towns, I see how many people come out on to the street to support one another, so I am sure that the campaign he mentions is very strong. I have come across many charities and organisations working on this issue in my constituency; they often involve people who have had breast cancer, and who want to educate other women and encourage them to be screened. They are very important to the work that we are doing.
Since the beginning of breast screening checks in 1988, there has been a cut-off age of 70. My campaign includes women who are above the age threshold for being invited in for screening. My nan was over 70 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Why do women over 70 have to rely on memory and a phone call to get their screening appointment? All women can get breast cancer; it does not discriminate by age or background.
I thank Bassetlaw women Sue Shaw and Barbara Baldwin, who are both over 70 and are now missing out. They argue that the cost of treatment for breast cancer far outweighs the costs of screening. Early prevention not only saves lives, but saves the NHS money. They are calling for the threshold to be eradicated—that is their ask and mine of the Minister. As we have heard, early diagnosis of breast cancer can save lives, and I am doing everything that I can locally to encourage women to attend their screenings when they are invited. My Bassetlaw message is: love your boobs, and get them checked.
Male Suicide in Rotherham
Lee Pitcher Excerpts(7 months, 1 week ago)
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Jake Richards (Rother Valley) (Lab)
In Rotherham, male suicide is a silent tragedy on the rise. As the local MP, I receive too many calls or messages early in the morning or late at night, telling me about another husband, father, brother or friend who has died in these tragic circumstances. Each call haunts us and our communities, but it is nothing compared to the unimaginable sense of grief and agony suffered by family and friends. The growing phenomenon of male suicide is part of a wider storm we face: of worsening mental health and mental health provisions for men; of splintering communities and support networks; and of a society that too often makes some men feel that they are unable to open up or reach out for help, or indeed that they are themselves part of the problem.
Tonight I want to make the argument for further Government action, and also offer a call to arms to us all. We can all do more to check in on our neighbours, friends and colleagues, and to build safe spaces for men to talk, to feel valued and to know that it is okay not to feel okay and that there is help. We should never forget the tragedy of women taking their own lives, too, and the particular circumstances that only women face that might lead them towards doing so. That matter is worthy of its own debate, though much of what we discuss will of course be relevant.
The numbers for men are startling and worth stating bluntly: suicide is the biggest killer of men aged under 50. Men account for three out of four suicides in England and Wales. A hundred men end their lives each week across the country. In Rotherham, men account for 79% of suicides.
Lee Pitcher (Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme) (Lab)
In Doncaster last year, 80% of those who died from suicide were men, and we of course have one of the largest numbers of veterans in the whole of Yorkshire and the Humber. Doncaster council has the armed forces covenant. Will my hon. Friend join me in promoting its work, particularly around the veteran-friendly suicide prevention training that makes a huge difference to all the people who take part in it?
Jake Richards
My hon. Friend makes a good point. Just on Friday, I had the Defence Secretary, who is with us today, and the Veterans Minister in Dinnington to speak with veterans groups and organisations. Mental health provision was right at the top of the agenda, as it should be. Beyond each individual tragedy is a wider story. There is a specific challenge for policymakers in grappling with male suicide.
Oral Answers to Questions
Lee Pitcher Excerpts(8 months, 3 weeks ago)
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Wes Streeting
The hon. Member is right to raise this serious and important issue. We want to ensure that we improve diagnostics, access to treatment and research, and I can think of no better person to lead the work on this area of the national cancer strategy than my hon. Friend the Minister for Secondary Care, who has lived experience, and who demonstrates that people can live well with cancer.
Lee Pitcher (Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme) (Lab)
Karin Smyth
I entirely appreciate the frustration and distress caused by medical supply shortages. We are working intensively with industry to resolve the HRT supply issues, and the problems with the supply of Estradot are expected to be resolved by the end of the month. Meanwhile, we have issued a serious shortage protocol to allow community pharmacists to supply alternative brands of the same medicine, and those remain available.
Doncaster Royal Infirmary
Lee Pitcher Excerpts(9 months ago)
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Sally Jameson (Doncaster Central) (Lab/Co-op)
I am grateful for the opportunity to make the case in this Chamber for the repair and refurbishment of Doncaster Royal Infirmary. This is not the first time I have raised this issue in this place, such is its importance to my constituents. Doncaster Royal Infirmary is at the heart of our community in Doncaster. For many of us, including myself, it is where we were born and rely on during some of the most difficult and painful moments of our lives. It is with great sadness that I come to this Chamber to say that after consistent underfunding, our hospital is in dire need of repair.
I take this opportunity to pay tribute to the NHS staff who have dedicated their careers to caring for the patients at the hospital. When I worked as a prison officer, I spent many hours on escorts at DRI and saw for myself the commitment of its staff. We live in a time where pressures on the NHS are immense, and staff across the country face unbearable conditions as they try to support patients in a system that desperately needs reform. I am pleased that this Government are committed to enacting change within our NHS for the benefit of both patients and the staff who treat them.
In Doncaster, our dedicated NHS staff face added pressure. Doncaster Royal Infirmary faces one of the highest repair backlogs in the country. The East Ward tower block, which houses some of the most vulnerable patients, faces critical infrastructure risks and safety concerns, and therefore is at the very top of the Doncaster and Bassetlaw teaching hospitals’ list of priorities. Other areas with a backlog of repairs include operating theatres, the critical care department and the women and children’s hospital.
Lee Pitcher (Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme) (Lab)
As my hon. Friend will know, in April 2021 a leak occurred at the women’s hospital at Doncaster Royal Infirmary. The water then flooded the area and went into the electrical systems, and a fire broke out. Some 60 patients were impacted and had to be evacuated, including premature babies. Thanks to the efforts of the amazing hospital staff, as my hon. Friend has mentioned, no one was hurt, but the damage was substantial, and it impacted larger parts of the hospital. Does my hon. Friend agree that we need to learn from such incidents, and that it makes absolute sense, both financially and for people’s safety, to proactively manage repairs and do the maintenance that is required?
Sally Jameson
My hon. Friend is absolutely right, and that incident showcased how desperate the situation is. It is a testament to the staff and the team at the trust that no one was hurt, and that the repair work that needed to be done happened immediately. Other areas where a backlog remains include the operating theatres. According to the Doncaster Royal Infirmary refurbishment plan, the operating theatres at the hospital do not meet modern standards for space.
Rare Retinal Disease
Lee Pitcher Excerpts(9 months, 1 week ago)
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Edward Argar
I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman. As a professional optometrist, I am sure his bill will be in the post. Inherited retinal diseases can lead to a gradual loss of vision and can have potentially devastating effects.
Lee Pitcher (Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme) (Lab)
My wife lives with retinitis pigmentosa. We have been together for 30 years, and over that time, I have seen how that degenerative eye disease can change the way that we live, adapt and care for each other as a family. Although there is a massive place, as we have talked about, for innovation and research and for access to investigation for treatment, once she got the white cane that she has now, that became a symbol for everybody else. People notice that she has a condition and they are much more attentive to her for that reason.
It is in the period before that where we could make an intervention around inclusion and education. Does the right hon. Gentleman agree that we could do something at that point to identify to others that somebody has a condition, which they might not be able to see, in order to help them?
NHS Dentistry: Rural Areas
Lee Pitcher Excerpts(11 months, 4 weeks ago)
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Sarah Gibson
I agree that a timeline for reforming the dental contract is vital; that is what I am asking for. If we lose this opportunity and our NHS dentists leave the system, we will be in an increasingly difficult place. Across Wiltshire, for those not already registered with an NHS dentist, it is absolutely impossible to get one. There is not a single practice taking on NHS patients right across the unitary authority of Wiltshire, despite its size.
Lee Pitcher (Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme) (Lab)
The number of dentists is obviously extremely important, but that is just part of what goes into the equation. In rural constituencies such as mine, access to healthcare services is heavily dependent on frequent, reliable services—in particular, bus services. Does the hon. Lady agree that if people are to access dental services, we need to ensure that those reliable, frequent public services are back in place?
Sarah Gibson
As I am sure the hon. Member will remember, I have already mentioned the serious issue of public transport in rural areas on several occasions. I could not agree with him more.
I thank the House once again for allowing me to make the case for improved NHS dental care, and I implore the Minister and his colleagues to do the right thing by my constituents and those of the Members who have intervened, in order to support dental care, specifically in rural areas.
Oral Answers to Questions
Lee Pitcher Excerpts(1 year ago)
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Lee Pitcher (Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme) (Lab)
The Minister for Care (Stephen Kinnock)
I pay tribute to my hon. Friend for the excellent work he does for the people of Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme. The scale of the problem that he points out is massive. One of the most shocking statistics I have discovered since taking up this position is that the most common reason for children aged five to nine being admitted to hospital is tooth decay. That is completely and utterly shocking—truly Dickensian. We cannot fix the matter overnight, but we are committed to reforming the dental contract and working with the British Dental Association to focus on prevention and on the retention of NHS dentists. We are also working at pace to ensure that patients can access an additional 700,000 urgent dental appointments.
Lee Pitcher
The horror stories I hear in my constituency are just awful: from the mum on the Isle of Axholme who could not find an NHS dentist after five years and who carries out her own treatment on her son, to a gentleman in Doncaster East whose teeth are crumbling due to illness, causing him horrendous pain, and who cannot get an appointment. The Government’s pledge to provide more emergency appointments is great, but I know that it will take time to rebuild dentistry. Can the Minister reassure me that people in my constituency will be given the priority they deserve?
Stephen Kinnock
My hon. Friend is right. South Yorkshire has the highest level of hospital tooth extractions in England, and I want to assure him that we will target interventions at the areas of greatest need. For example, integrated care boards have started to advertise roles through our “golden hello” scheme, which will drive recruitment of graduate dentists to areas of greatest need for three years. We have inherited a mess and we are working at pace to clear it up.