UKPOL.CO.UK

Category: Health

  • Maria Caulfield – 2022 Speech on the North East Ambulance Service

    Maria Caulfield – 2022 Speech on the North East Ambulance Service

    The speech made by Maria Caulfield, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, in the House of Commons on 23 May 2022.

    Can I start by saying how horrified I was to read the concerns raised about the North East Ambulance Service in reports over the weekend? My thoughts are first and foremost with the families affected by the tragic events described. I cannot imagine the distress they are going through. It is hard enough to lose a loved one suddenly, but to have fears that mistakes were made that could have made a difference, and more than that, that the facts of what happened were not revealed in every case, goes further. They have my unreserved sympathy and support.

    In healthcare, a willingness to learn from mistakes can be the difference between life and death, and it is because of this that, as a Government, we place such a high value on a culture of openness and a commitment to learning across the NHS. That is why the allegations raised by The Sunday Times this weekend are so concerning. As was made abundantly clear by the Secretary of State’s predecessor almost a decade ago, non-disclosure agreements have no place in the NHS and reputation management is never more important than patient safety.

    The Government are wholly supportive of the right of staff working in the NHS to raise their concerns. Speaking up is vital for ensuring that patient safety, and quality of services, improve, and it should be a routine part of the business of the NHS. That is why, over the last decade, substantial measures have been introduced to the NHS to reduce patient harm and improve the response to harmed patients, including legal protections for whistleblowers, the statutory duty of candour, the establishment of the Health Services Safety Investigations Body and the introduction of medical examiners. It is also why, in response to a recommendation of the Sir Robert Francis “Freedom to speak up” review in 2015, the Government established an independent national guardian to help to drive positive cultural change across the NHS so that speaking up becomes business as usual. However, when it comes to patient safety, we cannot afford to be complacent. It remains a top priority for the Government and we continue to place enormous emphasis on making our NHS as safe as possible.

    I note the concerns raised in this weekend’s reports. They have been subject to a thorough review at trust level, including through an external investigation, and the trust’s coronial reporting is subject to ongoing independent external audit and quarterly review by an executive director. I also note that the Care Quality Commission has been closely involved. However, given the seriousness of the claims reported over the weekend, we will of course be investigating more thoroughly and will not hesitate to take any action necessary and appropriate to protect patients.

    The Government are also committed to supporting the ambulance service to manage the pressures it is facing. We have made significant investments in the ambulance workforce, with the number of NHS ambulance and support staff increasing by 38% since 2010. Health Education England has mandated a target to train 3,000 paramedic graduates nationally per annum from 2021, further increasing the domestic paramedic workforce to meet future demands on the service, while 999 call handlers have been boosted to over 2,400, so we are very serious about improving resources for the service.

    I fully appreciate the concerns of right hon. and hon. Members across this House, and we will be pleased to meet any who have constituents affected by the reports this weekend so we can look at the issue more fully.

    Mr Speaker

    Can I just say that it is three minutes—and that means three minutes, not three minutes and 40 seconds—and I am sure whoever writes these speeches can actually time them through? I say to those on both Front Benches that we have to think about Back Benchers, who need to get their hospitals mentioned and their ambulance trusts as well.

    I call the shadow Secretary of State, who I am sure will stick to the allocated time.

    Wes Streeting

    I pay tribute to the courage of the whistleblowers, as well as The Sunday Times journalists David Collins, Hannah Al-Othman and Shaun Lintern, without whom none of this would have come to light. But with respect to the Minister, it should not have taken an urgent question to bring her to the House today. On what she said about the Department further investigating, what form will this investigation take, who will be involved and what assurance can she give the families that there will be both answers and accountability, which is what they deserve?

    Peter Coates died after an ambulance did not reach him in time. An ambulance two minutes away could not be dispatched because the station door was faulty, and staff did not know about the manual override. The ambulance that was dispatched decided to stop at a service station, even though it had sufficient fuel. Information about these errors was then withheld by the service, statements were changed and staff were asked to withhold the mistakes from the coroner. Peter Coates’ family learned the full truth only when contacted by reporters last week. His is just one of what is thought to be 90 cases involving gross negligence, cover-ups and tens of thousands of pounds of taxpayers’ money offered in exchange for staff silence.

    The Minister mentioned the CQC. Why did it fail to spot this, rating the service “good” in 2018? Why did it fail to spot the situation even after being tipped off in 2020? Why is taxpayers’ money still being offered to buy the silence of staff when non-disclosure agreements were supposedly banned in 2014? What role did under-resourcing and understaffing play in this scandal?

    Record ambulance waits exist in every part of the country, with heart attack and stroke victims waiting longer than an hour for an ambulance. As for the North East Ambulance Service, it is advising the public to phone a friend or call a cab rather than wait, while presiding over gross negligence, cover-ups and taxpayer-funded gagging orders on staff. That is the record on its watch. It is a national disgrace. What are the Government doing about it?

    Maria Caulfield

    We take the patient safety element of this extremely seriously. To answer the hon. Gentleman’s questions on who we will be meeting, I am happy to meet all the families affected to hear their concerns and the actions that they want taken. We met with the CQC this morning on this specific example, but we will be meeting with the ambulance trust. I also want to meet the coroner, and we want to hear from the whistleblowers. I am very happy to meet any member of staff who wants to raise concerns so that we can get to the bottom of exactly what has happened.

    This Government introduced the duty of candour. Mistakes will always happen, no matter how much money is put into the health service or how many staff it has, but when a mistake does happen the hospital trust or ambulance trust should be open and up front about it, start a proper investigation, and learn the lessons so that it never happens again.

  • Sajid Javid – 2022 Comments at G7 Meeting on Protecting Countries from Another Pandemic

    Sajid Javid – 2022 Comments at G7 Meeting on Protecting Countries from Another Pandemic

    The comments made by Sajid Javid, the Secretary of State for Health, on 21 May 2022.

    This meeting was a crucial moment for G7 member countries as we learn the lessons of Covid and how to live with the virus.

    I am committed to ensuring we are all better prepared against future health threats including another pandemic and antimicrobial resistance, which is why it was so important we united today to protect the world’s health.

    The UK’s leading the way with our living with Covid approach, and it was great to exchange ideas with my G7 counterparts on how we all move out of the pandemic.

  • Maria Caulfield – 2022 Statement on the David Fuller Case

    Maria Caulfield – 2022 Statement on the David Fuller Case

    The statement made by Maria Caulfield, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, in the House of Commons on 19 May 2022.

    Following earlier statements by Department of Health and Social Care Ministers, I would like to inform the House that the independent inquiry into the issues raised by the David Fuller case has today published a progress update on its work to date. This can be found at: https://fuller.independent-inquiry.uk/announcements/.

    The progress update sets out the transition from a local, independent investigation initiated by the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust to the current independent inquiry that the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care announced in November of last year. It describes how the work already undertaken as part of the independent investigation is feeding into the inquiry, as well as the important common themes that emerged from families and other interested parties which gave rise to amendments to the inquiry’s terms of reference. The independent inquiry published its final terms of reference on 23 February 2022.

    Although the local investigation was constrained from taking evidence while the criminal prosecution of David Fuller was under way, Sir Jonathan Michael does set out some urgent, high-level themes and areas of concern arising from the investigation at the time in his progress update:

    Responsibilities between NHS trusts and contractors/subcontractors

    Security and access

    Policies and procedures versus practice

    Oversight of regulated activities

    Management of areas and services not covered by regulation.

    These themes had been shared with the trust in August 2021 and subsequently with NHS England and NHS Improvement. The trust has been putting its own steps in place regarding its mortuary practices ahead of the substantive, initial report of the inquiry. NHS England and NHS Improvement has continued to work with trusts to provide assurances against current guidance from the Human Tissue Authority (HTA), and on the additional measures that have been taken to improve the effectiveness of security in place for all their mortuaries and post-mortem activities.

    The progress update makes clear that the first phase of the independent inquiry is firmly under way and describes the rapid progress that it has so far achieved. Also, from the inquiry’s engagement with witnesses so far, it has experienced a high degree of co-operation and expects this to continue. Both are testament to the hard work of Sir Jonathan and his team.

    The progress update also sets out the next steps, including a revised timing for the initial report on matters relating to Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust. Due to the volume of evidence that is emerging, the initial report will now be available later this year. This will be followed by a final report next year, looking at the broader national picture and the wider lessons for the NHS and for other settings. While there is real urgency in understanding how Fuller was able to carry out his shocking and unlawful actions, and why these went unnoticed, the inquiry must be allowed the time it needs to fully consider all of the relevant evidence and assemble its findings. The inquiry continues to liaise with Kent police to ensure that if it identifies possible criminal conduct, this is referred swiftly for further investigation, in line with its terms of reference.

    The HTA was asked by the Secretary of State to provide advice on its regulatory framework following the conclusion of the murder trial of David Fuller and the public revelation of his sexual offending against bodies in a hospital mortuary at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust.

    The HTA advice, received in December 2021, along with a short progress update, has been published today. Both can be found at:

    https://www.hta.gov.uk/news/december-2021-advice-published

    The HTA has focused on three areas since December 2021; preparation for the inquiry, working with stakeholders on licensed mortuary security, and starting the revision of HTA guidance for licensed mortuaries in the post mortem sector, with implementation planned later this year.

    Further details are available on gov.uk via the following link.

    https://www.gov.uk/government/news/the-fuller-inquiry-update-to-the-secretary-of-state-19-may-2022.

  • Sajid Javid – 2022 Comments on Medical Aid for Ukraine

    Sajid Javid – 2022 Comments on Medical Aid for Ukraine

    The comments made by Sajid Javid, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, on 20 May 2022.

    Russia’s unprovoked and illegal attacks on Ukraine have created a medical emergency, with Putin targeting healthcare facilities like maternity units, hospitals, and ambulances.

    The UK’s support for our friends in Ukraine is unwavering, giving medicines and equipment they desperately need, which has saved tens of thousands of lives.

    Thank you to the NHS in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland for stepping up and donating vital medical supplies.

  • Maria Caulfield – 2022 Comments on the Maternity Disparities Taskforce

    Maria Caulfield – 2022 Comments on the Maternity Disparities Taskforce

    The comments made by Maria Caulfield, the Minister for Women’s Health, on 18 May 2022.

    We must do everything we can to empower women with the information and services they need to ensure a healthy pregnancy for mum and baby, no matter their background or where they live.

    The latest Maternity Disparities Taskforce meeting brought together experts from across the NHS, health charities to share ideas and experiences on how we can ensure women from ethnic minorities and the most deprived areas receive the support they need.

    By listening to women’s experiences we can better understand the issues they face and how to improve care, and I look forward to making progress in this area.

  • Sajid Javid – 2022 Statement at the Alzheimer’s Society Conference

    Sajid Javid – 2022 Statement at the Alzheimer’s Society Conference

    The statement made by Sajid Javid, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, on 17 May 2022.

    Thank you Gina – not just for your warm introduction, but for everything you do, raising awareness and supporting other people living with dementia. Thank you very much.

    And I’m also grateful to the Alzheimer’s Society for bringing us all together this afternoon.

    I can’t begin to reflect on what the future holds without acknowledging the challenges of the past two years. Whether it’s the people living with dementia, or those around them who love and care for them, I know dementia is difficult at the best of times. The pandemic made it doubly difficult.

    Dementia made some of the steps we needed to take to combat the pandemic a lot harder: like extra handwashing, or socially distancing. Or families and carers, who had very little respite.

    But I know it’s the emotional side that’s proved toughest over time. It runs deeper than the smiles and hugs we all missed.

    Many of you have tirelessly smashed the taboos around dementia – like the idea dementia is a hidden disease. Lots of you – people like Gina – are proof that people with dementia shouldn’t be hidden away from society.

    But sadly, the pandemic saw us all spend more time behind closed doors, physically separated from society and the people that we love.

    So I want to say a huge thank you to all of you, for your tremendous courage and resilience in the most extraordinary of circumstances.

    When I accepted this role nearly a year ago, I made it my priority to safely remove so many of the restrictions around Covid. Burdens that kept us apart through these difficult times. We’re now leading the world in learning to live with Covid, and I’m proud of how far we’ve come.

    Yet even with these brighter days ahead, I know it will take some time for us to recover from this collective trauma. And, of course, the challenges of conditions like dementia haven’t gone away.

    Over 900,000 people in the UK are believed to be living with dementia. In 2020, it was the leading cause of death (in England and Wales) after Covid-19.

    Yet even when we’re faced with such stark statistics, it’s important to remember how we got here.

    Economic growth, medical breakthroughs and vastly improved health and care services have seen life expectancy increase by more than a decade in our lifetimes. It’s one of the great triumphs of the 20th Century. We’re all living longer.

    If we’re to get the 21st Century right, we need those extra years to be spent in good health.

    And sadly that’s not the case for too many people. By 2025, 1 million people in the UK are expected to have dementia, and is expected to rise to 1.6 million by 2040.

    There has been some great progress in recent years.

    David Cameron used the rotating chairmanship of the G8 to convene the world’s first G8 dementia summit – which took the dementia challenge onto the global stage. And that passion for global action against dementia has continued in his current role as President of Alzheimer’s Research UK.

    And I do want to pay tribute to David, because I remember very well when I was in his Cabinet: he dedicated an entire cabinet session to dementia and invited Alzheimer’s UK to speak to us. They enrolled us all as ‘dementia friends’, and even all these years later now I’m Health and Social Care Secretary, I still reflect on what I learned back then.

    The Challenge on Dementia 2020 was another landmark piece of work, which saw a million care workers and a million NHS workers receive dementia awareness training. Over the 5 years of the strategy, the government invested some £420 million on dementia research.

    But the pandemic has stemmed the tide of progress. Despite the best efforts of the NHS, it became harder for some people to get a timely diagnosis, because the pandemic made it more difficult to access memory assessment services. I know the Alzheimer’s Society has estimated over 30,000 people didn’t receive a diagnosis because of the pandemic.

    Equally, we know from your brilliant research that tens of thousands of people are still missing out on a dementia diagnosis each year because they confuse key symptoms with getting old. As you say: “It’s not called getting old, it’s called getting ill”.

    So, while these broader demographic trends, combined with the rising prevalence of dementia, were always going to take us to a crossroads – a moment where we’d have to rethink how we do health and care in this country – the pandemic has brought us to these crossroads a lot more quickly. In fact, we’re there right now.

    I think one of the reasons why we haven’t made as much progress on dementia as we would like is because it’s going to take some pretty seismic shifts, both in terms of the architecture of health and care and our own approach.

    That’s hard to do. Reform takes time. And you need to take people with you. But it’s a journey we’ve already begun – and it’s a challenge this government is unafraid to take on.

    Our plans for Adult Social Care will help improve experiences for people with dementia and their families: with a far more generous means-testing, a cap on life-time costs to increase support and development for our phenomenal workforce.

    The new Health and Care Act – which received Royal Assent just a couple of weeks ago – puts Integrated Care Boards and Integrated Care Partnerships at the heart of our system. Joint working and joint budgets will be directed towards caring for people and keeping them well in the first place.

    You may also know that we asked Claire Fuller – a GP and Chief Executive of Surrey Heartlands – to conduct a stocktake of how primary care works within the new system. Now this is important, because we know that primary care is where the bulk of prevention can happen – and GPs play a crucial role in referring people with early signs of dementia. So I’m looking forward to hearing Dr Fuller’s views.

    We know that joined up care is better for people with dementia and their families. Implementing the proposals in our Integration White Paper will be another important part of what we need to do. The White Paper looks at everything from better data-sharing to multidisciplinary working across health and care, with the ambition of improving the experiences of those who use our vital services.

    All of this taken together means our future work on dementia is going to take place in a very different health and care context – one which is much more preventive, professional, and joined up.

    Not only that, but the combination of the demographic shifts we all know are coming, the setbacks of Covid-19, and the incredible opportunities afforded to us by pioneering research and new technology, mean we now need to do something dramatically different. We have no other choice but to step up and rise to this moment.

    So that’s been the spirit behind our new dementia strategy, which we began developing last summer. I’m grateful to everyone who’s played a part and continues to play a part in bringing it to life, including the Alzheimer’s Society. That work is still ongoing, but today I want to tell you a bit more about what it will look like.

    In short, I want it to be more ambitious than anything we’ve done before. To begin with: I want our Dementia Strategy to be a 10-year plan, not just 5. Because we can only get to grips with long-term challenges by thinking long-term.

    I’d like us to be as bold as we’ve been with our 10-year plan for cancer. It will be driven by the same four themes behind our reforms in health and care – what I call the ‘four P’s’: prevention, personalisation, performance and people.

    Let’s look at prevention for a moment.

    It’s estimated that as much as 40 percent of dementia is potentially preventable. 40 percent.

    We now know that what’s good for the heart is also good for the brain. Action on high blood pressure, physical inactivity, alcohol, obesity and healthy eating all have a part to play.

    So we’re going to be very ambitious on prevention, because I don’t accept that dementia is an inevitable part of ageing. It isn’t.

    We’re going to be equally ambitious on research.

    We’ve already committed £375 million into research on neurodegenerative diseases over the next five years – and I’ll work across government to boost this further.

    It means measuring ourselves against the leading countries globally and being unafraid to find new ways of working. It means being bold about finding new medicines and new treatments. It means being ambitious on new technology, like genomic sequencing and digital biomarkers. And it means continuing to smash taboos – just as you do so brilliantly, every single day.

    So I’m really excited about this – and I’m excited to work with all of you get it right. Because it’s no exaggeration to say that our future depends on it.

    We’re at the crossroads. All of us here today, we understand the challenges that lie ahead. When it comes to dementia, we know there have never been any quick fixes. We know there aren’t any easy wins.

    But we also know that when a visionary plan comes together, with powerful partners and proper funding – and we couple it with care and compassion – that combination can be unbeatable.

    That’s going to be the mission – and I’m grateful to have partners like you to share it with. Thank you.

     

  • Maggie Throup – 2022 Statement on the Delay in Volume Price Promotion and Advertising Restrictions

    Maggie Throup – 2022 Statement on the Delay in Volume Price Promotion and Advertising Restrictions

    The statement made by Maggie Throup, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, in the House of Commons on 16 May 2022.

    The Government are delaying the implementation of the volume price promotion restrictions and the introduction of further advertising restrictions on TV and online for high fat, sugar or salt (HFSS) products by 12 months.

    We are clear that the delay to volume price promotions does not impact the locations measures which will still come into force on 1 October 2022. Under these measures, less healthy products in scope will no longer be promoted in key locations, such as checkouts, store entrances, aisle ends and their online equivalents. We expect these location restrictions to be the single most impactful obesity policy at reducing children’s calorie consumption and are expected to accrue health benefits of over £57 billion and provide NHS savings of over £4 billion, over the next 25 years.

    The delay to restrictions on multibuy deals will allow the Government to review and monitor the impact of the restrictions on the cost of living in light of an unprecedented global economic situation.

    A delay to the advertising restrictions is necessary because a delay in the Health and Care Act 2022 receiving Royal Assent has had a consequential impact on the timetable for the regulators’ subsequent consultations and publication of final guidance, meaning it was unlikely this would be ready with sufficient time before implementation.

    We have also considered the ongoing concerns from industry about having time to fully implement the final guidance, by restructuring their funding and revenue streams appropriately, and ensuring robust compliance from implementation. We therefore believe this is the best approach to balance tackling childhood obesity in a timely way, managing the unprecedented economic situation and ensuring the smooth and effective implementation of these restrictions. The advertising regulations will now come into force on 1 January 2024.

    We included a power in the Health and Care Act to delay implementation of the advertising restrictions if necessary. We will be utilising this power to amend the date of implementation for the advertising restrictions by secondary legislation. The implementation of the volume price restrictions will also be amended by secondary legislation.

    This Government remain committed to halving childhood obesity by 2030 and these measures and others, including last month’s new measures on calorie labelling in large restaurants, cafes and takeaways, will play their part in delivering against this ambition.

  • Sajid Javid – 2022 Comments on Freezing Prescription Charges

    Sajid Javid – 2022 Comments on Freezing Prescription Charges

    The comments made by Sajid Javid, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, on 15 May 2022.

    The rise in the cost of living has been unavoidable as we face global challenges and the repercussions of Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine. Whilst we can’t completely prevent these rises, where we can help – we absolutely will. This is why I am freezing prescription charges to help ease some of these pressures and put money back in people’s pockets.

  • Julia Lopez – 2022 Comments on Delay to Ban Multibuy Deals

    Julia Lopez – 2022 Comments on Delay to Ban Multibuy Deals

    The comments made by Julia Lopez, the Media, Data and Digital Minister, on 14 May 2022.

    We are determined to tackle childhood obesity and are working hard to improve young people’s health, including by investing £550 million of government and lottery cash to level up access to sport and physical activity right across the country

    We have listened to the concerns which have been raised and will not be bringing in restrictions on junk food advertising until confident that the time is right.

  • Sajid Javid – 2022 Statement on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

    Sajid Javid – 2022 Statement on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

    The statement made by Sajid Javid, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, in the House of Commons on 12 May 2022.

    Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) affects the lives of children and adults across the country. It can be an incredibly disabling condition with fluctuating symptoms, making it difficult to take part in everyday activities, enjoy a family or social life, access services and engage in work or education, especially for the estimated 25% of people who have severe or very severe symptoms. Whilst there are currently no known cures or treatments for the condition, people with ME/CFS can be supported to manage their symptoms and maximise their quality of life.

    Today, on World ME Day, I have two announcements to make to show that the Government are committed to better care and support for people living with ME/CFS and their families.

    Firstly, I am pleased to welcome today the publication of the top 10 (plus) research priorities for ME/CFS, published by Action for ME and agreed by the James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnership on ME. This partnership included people with lived experience and clinicians working together to reach a consensus. I want to thank Action for ME and everyone who took part in this important work, recognising that for many this would have taken considerable effort.

    To support these research priorities, I will co-chair a roundtable with my Department’s chief scientific adviser, Professor Lucy Chappell, to bring together experts on ME/CFS, including people with lived experience, to discuss what needs to happen next. The chief scientific adviser has asked the UK clinical research collaboration to convene a subgroup on ME/CFS to work with funders, researchers, charities, and people with ME/CFS to drive high-quality applications for research into ME/CFS and support the research community to build capacity and capability in this field. We are committed to funding research into this important area. Funding for high-quality research into ME is available through existing commitments of HM Government to research and development. The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) will work with the research community to respond to the priorities as set out in the Priority Setting Partnership, alongside other funding partners.

    Secondly, I am announcing the Government intention to develop a cross-Government delivery plan on ME/CFS for England, aligning with other devolved nations as appropriate. In particular, we are engaging with the Scottish Government to explore areas of potential shared interest and learning, especially in terms of research into ME/CFS.

    This will build on the recommendations of the priority setting partnership, the recently updated guideline for ME/CFS from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, and the comprehensive work of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis to date.

    At the heart of the delivery plan will be two core principles: firstly, that we do not know enough about ME/CFS, which must change if we are to improve experiences and outcomes; secondly, we must trust and listen to those with lived experience of ME/CFS.

    Following this announcement, officials will work with stakeholders ahead of publishing the delivery plan later this year.