Oral Answers to Questions

John Bercow Excerpts

Tuesday 26th November 2013 Commons Chamber

[George Freeman (Mid Norfolk) (Con)]

I congratulate the Minister and the Government on the work that is being done to integrate social and NHS care. Does my hon. Friend agree that, for the many elderly patients moving between hospital care and community social care, integrated patient records across the two areas will significantly improve elderly care? Will he meet me and campaigners following Health questions to discuss my ten-minute rule Bill?

[Mr Speaker]

The link is a strained and tenuous one, but carry on.

--- Later in debate ---

[Dr Poulter]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right to highlight that these are local decisions that need to be made by local commissioners, because what looks good in Crawley will be very different from the needs in Bradford. That was the very reason that underpinned the previous Government’s decision to transfer responsibility for these services to local commissioners, but we often need more co-located services, because the Monitor survey picked up the fact that in the past, far too often, walk-in centres were isolated in the community; people did not know how to access them, or when they could do so. Monitor also recognised that there was duplication of effort, and sometimes patients who needed to be seen in accident and emergency were treated, inappropriately, in walk-in centres.

[Mr Speaker]

I am deeply obliged to the Minister, but we must leave time for Mr Mowat.

[David Mowat (Warrington South) (Con)]

16. What recent consideration he has given to banning the use of NHS funds for provision of alternative therapies.

--- Later in debate ---

[David Morris (Morecambe and Lunesdale) (Con)]

May I thank the Under-Secretary of State for Health, my hon. Friend the Member for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich (Dr Poulter), for recently opening a walk-in centre in Morecambe? May I also set the record straight, because the centre had been closed under the previous Government? Does he not think that it is a shocking indictment that in 2006 the NHS was cut by 9% in the region—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. First, topical questions are supposed to be brief. Secondly, the Minister is not responsible for what happened in 2006. We will have a very brief reply and then perhaps we can move on.

--- Later in debate ---

[Several hon. Members]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

I fear that this will almost certainly be the last question. Karen Lumley.

[Karen Lumley (Redditch) (Con)]

In the past two weeks I have had to visit accident and emergency units in Redditch and in north Wales, unfortunately with members of my family. Although health is a devolved matter in Wales, will my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State invite his counterpart in Wales to spend some time at the great A and E unit in Redditch to see for himself the stark differences between the two services?

[Mr Jeremy Hunt]

I would be delighted to do so. He will see the impact of not cutting the NHS by 8%, which is what Labour has done in Wales, which means that in this country we are hitting our A and E targets and in Wales they have not hit them since 2009.

[Mr Speaker]

I am sorry to disappoint colleagues, but we must move on. Demand usually outstrips supply.