NHS: Winter Preparedness Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebatePolly Billington
Main Page: Polly Billington (Labour - East Thanet)Department Debates - View all Polly Billington's debates with the Department of Health and Social Care
(1 day, 20 hours ago)
Commons ChamberUrgent Questions are proposed each morning by backbench MPs, and up to two may be selected each day by the Speaker. Chosen Urgent Questions are announced 30 minutes before Parliament sits each day.
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The right hon. Gentleman is right to call for an evidence-based approach. That is why the Government are not mandating mask use across the NHS or social care. We are supporting leaders in providers to make their own judgments based on the situations in their trusts as to whether wearing of masks by patients and visitors is necessary, given the pressures they are under. Even in those cases, there is an understanding that people may not wish to comply, but I hope that, if asked to do so, they would comply.
Ms Polly Billington (East Thanet) (Lab)
Does my right hon. Friend share my concern that, in the run-up to Christmas, NHS staff will be having to change their Christmas plans to cover emergency shifts as a result of this ridiculous strike, and patients will have emergency operations, and indeed scheduled operations, cancelled?