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Category: Health

  • Edward Argar – 2021 Statement on NHS England and NHS Improvement

    Edward Argar – 2021 Statement on NHS England and NHS Improvement

    The statement made by Edward Argar, the Minister for Health, in the House of Commons on 25 March 2021.

    The Prime Minister paid tribute to the extraordinary success of the UK’s covid-19 vaccination programme when setting out on 22 February 2021 his road map for easing lockdown restrictions in England. This vaccination programme would not be possible without the dedication and commitment of many thousands of NHS staff who have already worked tirelessly for many months to support the covid response while doing their utmost to reduce the impact on wider NHS services.

    I am today laying before Parliament the Government’s 2021-22 mandate for NHS England and NHS Improvement. It will make clear that covid-19—including further roll-out of the vaccination programme to ensure that every adult in England will be offered a first vaccination by 31 July—remains the NHS’s top priority in 2021-22. At the same time, and taking account of the pandemic’s impact, the NHS will return to implementation of the important transformative ambitions set out in its long-term plan and our 2019 manifesto. These will underpin recovery, and support the NHS’s longer-term resilience and sustainability. There will be a renewed focus on prevention to empower people to live as healthily as possible, and on tackling those health challenges which have been highlighted by the pandemic. The NHS will also work to recover performance of non-covid services that were unavoidably impacted by the pandemic—including elective care.

    The new mandate is underpinned by our further funding commitments to the NHS. In addition to the substantial support made available for the pandemic response in 2020-21, and the further £6.3 billion increase in NHS funding already confirmed as part of its funding settlement to 2023-24, we are providing a further £3 billion in 2021-22 to support NHS recovery. This includes £1.5 billion for indirect covid pressures in 2021-22 as well as £1 billion for tackling backlogs in elective activity, and £500 million for mental health and the NHS workforce, for which operational delivery will be agreed in due course. This is in addition to the £6.6 billion announced last week for operationally necessary costs arising from the pandemic in the first half of 2021-22.

    As in previous years, I will also today lay a revised 2020-21 mandate. As required by the NHS Act 2006, this revision is to reflect changes to the capital and revenue resource limits included in it that result from in-year funding decisions.

  • Penny Mordaunt – 2021 Statement on Infected Blood

    Penny Mordaunt – 2021 Statement on Infected Blood

    The statement made by Penny Mordaunt, the Paymaster General, in the House of Commons on 25 March 2021.

    Today I am providing an update on parity of financial support, the commitment to considering a compensation framework, and enhancements to the psychological support for the victims of the infected blood tragedy.

    Parity

    In July 2019, a UK-wide agreement was reached in principle to resolve disparities in levels of support for people infected and affected. In January 2020 at a meeting with campaigners, the UK Government committed to resolving the disparities in financial support in Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland as well as addressing broader issues of disparity, including support for bereaved partners.

    I am pleased to confirm that the following changes are planned to the four separate schemes to bring them into broader parity. Increases in annual payments will be backdated to April 2019. Where lump sum payments are being increased, this will apply to all current scheme members. We will work with the four schemes to communicate the changes to beneficiaries. Beneficiaries will continue to receive their current payments until the changes can be made. We hope that the schemes will be able to make additional payments where required by the end of the calendar year, and sooner if possible.

    The key elements of change for the England infected blood support scheme are:

    annual payments for bereaved partners will be increased to an automatic 100% of their partners annual payment in year 1, and 75% in year 2 and subsequent years, in line with the position in Scotland;

    the lump sum bereavement payment will move from a discretionary £10,000 to an automatic £10,000, in line with the position in Wales;

    the lump sum payment paid to a beneficiary in the scheme with hepatitis C stage 1 will increase by £30,000 from £20,000 to £50,000, in line with the position in Scotland; and

    the lump sum payment paid to a beneficiary in the scheme with HIV will increase from up to £80.5k maximum in England, to an automatic £80.5k.

    In addition, the schemes managed by the devolved Administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will be similarly adapted so that across the UK there is broad parity of payments to infected and affected people. These adaptations are in line with the UK-wide agreement reached in July 2019.

    In Scotland, the changes are to increase annual payments for infected beneficiaries and bereaved partners, and to introduce £10,000 lump sum bereavement payments for the families of those beneficiaries who have died since the scheme began.

    In Wales, the changes are to increase annual payments for infected beneficiaries, increase both the payments and length of payments for the bereaved partners, in line with the position in Scotland, and changes to the lump sums for hepatitis C and HIV.

    In Northern Ireland, the changes are to annual payments for non-infected bereaved spouses/partners, lump sum bereavement payments, and a commitment to introduce enhanced financial support for hepatitis C (stage 1), at the same payment levels as in England, as soon as a system can be put into operation.

    We have agreed with Health Ministers that any future changes to national schemes would be subject to consultation between the UK Government and devolved Administrations.

    Compensation framework

    To meet the Government’s commitment to consider a framework for compensation, we can confirm our intention to appoint an independent reviewer to carry out a study, looking at options for a framework for compensation, and to report back to the Paymaster General with recommendations, before the inquiry reports.

    The terms of reference of this study will be finalised in consultation between the independent reviewer and those infected and affected. The study will include consideration of the scope and levels of such compensation, and the relationship between a compensation framework and the existing financial support schemes in place.

    The study is entirely separate from the public inquiry, which continues to have this Government’s full support; it will not duplicate the work of the inquiry, or cut across the inquiry’s findings. The study shall provide the Paymaster General with advice on potential compensation framework design and solutions which can be ready to implement upon the conclusion of the inquiry, should the inquiry’s findings and recommendations require it.

    The name of the independent reviewer will be announced shortly.

    Psychological support

    Since May 2020, there have been important improvements to how beneficiaries of the England infected blood support scheme can access psychological support. Beneficiaries are now able to receive funding for counselling directly from the scheme without GP approval or the need to access waiting lists. This change has been communicated to beneficiaries.

    The Department of Health and Social Care will continue to work with EIBSS and NHS England and Improvement to review if further improvements are necessary to the psychological support which is available for beneficiaries.

    Finally I would like to place on record my thanks to the inquiry chair, Sir Brian Langstaff, and his team for the way the inquiry has managed to continue its work throughout the last 12 months despite the challenges presented by covid-19, and for consistently putting the interests of the infected and affected victims at the heart of their decision-making when dealing with significant logistical and planning challenges.

  • Justin Madders – 2021 Comments on Potential NHS Staff Exodus

    Justin Madders – 2021 Comments on Potential NHS Staff Exodus

    The comments made by Justin Madders, the Shadow Health Minister, on 24 March 2021.

    These figures should be ringing alarm bells loud and clear that Ministers need to change course and start listening to and valuing the NHS workforce.

    Years of pay freezes, record vacancies and relentless pressure are having their effect with hard pressed staff voting with their feet.

    The last year has seen NHS workers perform heroically but for many the offer of a real terms pay cut will be the last straw so Government need to urgently reconsider their approach otherwise the exodus we have seen in recent years will become a flood.

  • Anneliese Dodds – 2021 Comments on Pay for NHS Staff

    Anneliese Dodds – 2021 Comments on Pay for NHS Staff

    The comments made by Anneliese Dodds, the Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, on 17 March 2021.

    The mask slipped for Rishi Sunak and the Conservatives at this month’s Budget. It was the moment it became clear they want a return to the same weak foundations that led to the worst economic crisis of any major economy.

    Instead of rewarding all NHS workers with the fair pay rise they deserved, the Chancellor hit them with a real-terms pay cut. Labour won’t stand for this shabby treatment of our Covid heroes, so we will use every parliamentary opportunity to force the Conservatives to reverse this insult.

    When Labour clapped for our carers during the pandemic, we meant it. That’s why we won’t rest until all our brave NHS staff get the fair, long-term, pay settlement they deserve.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2021 Comments on NHS Waiting Lists

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2021 Comments on NHS Waiting Lists

    The comments made by Jonathan Ashworth, the Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, on 11 March 2021.

    These shocking figures show thousands of additional patients are now waiting over a year in pain and distress for treatment and the figure keeps going up.

    Rishi Sunak could have used last week’s budget to give the NHS the funding it needs to bring waiting lists down and address the growing backlog for treatment. Instead, he failed patients by cutting NHS budgets and nurses’ pay.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2021 Speech on NHS Staff Pay

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2021 Speech on NHS Staff Pay

    The speech made by Jonathan Ashworth, the Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, in the House of Commons on 8 March 2021.

    I am grateful to the Minister, but where is the Secretary of State? Why is the Secretary of State not here to defend a Budget that puts up tax for hard-working families and cuts pay for hard-working nurses? The Secretary of State has stood at that Dispatch Box repeatedly, waxing lyrical, describing NHS staff as heroes, saying they are the very best of us, and now he is cutting nurses’ pay.

    Last summer, when asked by Andrew Marr if nurses deserved a real-terms pay rise, the Secretary of State replied:

    “Well, of course I want to see people properly rewarded, absolutely.”

    Yet now he is cutting nurses’ pay.

    Last year, the Secretary of State brought to this House legislation to put into law the NHS long-term plan. He said from that Dispatch Box that his legislation represented

    “certainty for the NHS about a minimum funding level over the next four years and certainty for the 1.4 million colleagues who work in our health service”.—[Official Report, 27 January 2020; Vol. 670, c. 571.]

    That long-term plan was based on a 2.1% pay increase for all NHS staff. Every Tory MP voted for it, the Minister voted for it, and now every Tory MP is cutting nurses’ pay.

    The Minister talked about the Budget. Where is the Chancellor? Where are his glossy tweets? Where is his video? Why did he not mention in the Budget that he was cutting nurses’ pay? Why did he sneak it out the day before in the small print?

    This is happening at a time when our NHS staff are more pressured than ever before. In the midst of the biggest health crisis for a century, when there are 100,000 shortages, what does the Minister think cutting the pay of NHS staff will do the vacancy rates? Perhaps she can tell us.

    The Minister talked about the pay review body, but she did not guarantee that the Government will implement any real-terms pay rise that the pay review body recommends. Why is that? It is because Ministers have already made up their minds to cut, in real terms, NHS pay in a pandemic. Our NHS staff deserve so much better. If this Government do not deliver a pay rise, it shows once again that you simply can’t trust the Tories with the NHS.

  • Helen Whately – 2021 Statement on NHS Staff Pay

    Helen Whately – 2021 Statement on NHS Staff Pay

    The statement made by Helen Whately, the Minister for Care, in the House of Commons on 8 March 2021.

    This pandemic has asked so much of our health and care system. The whole country recognises how our NHS workforce have performed with distinction and gone the extra mile throughout this crisis, which has also had a huge impact on our economy. It has been and still is a tough time for businesses and all those who work in them.

    As hon. Members will be aware, most of the public sector is having a pay freeze. However, even against that backdrop, we will continue to provide pay rises for NHS workers, as the Chancellor set out at the spending review. This follows a multi-year pay deal, which over a million NHS staff have benefited from and which includes a pay rise of over 12% for newly qualified nurses. We are also ramping up our investment in our NHS, with a £6.2 billion increase for 2021-22, as part of our £34 billion commitment by 2024-25, and £3 billion for supporting recovery and reducing waiting lists. As part of that, we are increasing the number of staff in the NHS, with over 6,500 more doctors, almost 10,600 more nurses, and over 18,700 more health support workers in the NHS now than a year ago. We are also on track to have 50,000 more nurses in the NHS by the end of the Parliament.

    Last week, we submitted our evidence to the NHS pay review bodies, which are independent advisory bodies made up of industry experts. Their recommendations are based on an assessment of evidence from a range of stakeholders, including trade unions. They will report their recommendations in late spring, and we will carefully consider their recommendations when we receive them.

    I can assure the House that we are committed to the NHS and to the amazing people who work in it. Just as they have been so vital throughout this pandemic, they will continue to be the very essence of our health service, together with all those who work in social care, as we come through this pandemic and build a health and care system for the future.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2021 Comments on NHS Pay Rises

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2021 Comments on NHS Pay Rises

    The comments made by Jonathan Ashworth, the Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, on 9 March 2021.

    The head of the NHS has confirmed what we already knew: the Conservatives have broken their promise to the NHS and are cutting nurses’ pay.

  • Matt Hancock – 2021 Statement on Covid-19

    Matt Hancock – 2021 Statement on Covid-19

    The statement made by Matt Hancock, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, on 5 March 2021.

    Good afternoon and welcome to Downing Street for today’s coronavirus briefing.

    I’m joined by Dr Susan Hopkins, from Public Health England and NHS Test and Trace.

    Today, I’ve got an update on progress in our battle against coronavirus, some new evidence of the effectiveness of the vaccines, an update on the cases of the Brazilian variant of concern and extra funding to support mental health in schools.

    Because, of course, on Monday that marks our first step in our opening up after this lockdown.

    Next week, classrooms will be buzzing with activity once more. I know parents across England will be delighted and relieved that all children are going back to school.

    Also, from Monday, I’m just so pleased that we’re able to reopen care homes to visitors.

    We’ve put in place a really careful policy so each care home resident will be able to register a single regular visitor, who’ll be tested and wear PPE.

    I know this really matters to hundreds of thousands of people with a loved one in a care home.

    And I’m really glad that we can make this step.

    So, first, let’s turn to the latest coronavirus data.

    This data shows this progress we’ve made, including more evidence on the impact of the vaccine in saving lives.

    First slide please.

    Here, you can see the number of cases of COVID-19.

    I’m pleased to say that the cases are still falling.

    The average daily number of cases is now 6,685 – the lowest since late September and the weekly case rate across the UK is now 84 per 100,000.

    The latest figures from the ONS, which were published earlier today, reported a further significant decline. They show that in England 1 in 220 people have coronavirus, a fall from 1 in 145 last week.

    This is all encouraging news and it should give us all confidence that we can safely take the steps we’re taking on Monday.

    Next slide please.

    Slide 2 shows the hospital admissions with COVID and it shows that they are falling too.

    There are still 12,136 people in hospital in the UK with COVID.

    That’s still too high, but the average number of new admissions to hospital is 900, the lowest since October.

    Next slide please.

    Thankfully, the number of deaths with COVID are also declining steeply.

    The average number of deaths per day is 248, also the lowest since October.

    And here, the decline is in fact accelerating.

    The halving time of the number of deaths has come down from 19 days – so the number of deaths each day – last month, to halving every 11 days now.

    Not only that, there are now fewer people dying of all causes in care homes than is normal for this time of year.

    Taken together, these 3 slides show that we’re heading in the right direction, although there is further to go. And what we can also see in the data, across the whole UK, is that the vaccine programme is working to protect the NHS and saving lives.

    Next slide please.

    The best way to see this is by looking at how fast cases, hospital admissions and deaths are falling.

    The number of cases have been falling, in a fairly even way, since around the middle of January, by a quarter every week. Just a little bit more in the past few days.

    It’s not been completely smooth.

    A week ago, I stood here and we said that we were worried that the fall in cases was slowing down.

    Thankfully, as you can see in the chart, that now looks more like a temporary blip.

    Which is good news for us all.

    Next slide please.

    Now let’s turn to the number of hospital admissions.

    Again, this is falling steadily, at around a quarter every week.

    But there are early signs that this fall is getting a bit faster.

    In fact, the 29% fall in the last week is the fastest fall in hospital admissions at any point in the entire pandemic.

    Final slide please.

    But where you can really see the effect of the vaccine is in the fall of the number of deaths.

    The number of deaths is falling faster and faster.

    And now deaths are falling by over a third every week. And in fact in the last week have fallen by 41%.

    Faster than before.

    The Chief Medical Officer told us weeks ago that you’d first see the effect of the vaccine in fewer people dying, and then in reduced hospitalisations.

    And I believe that that is exactly what’s happening.

    What this all shows is that the link from cases to hospitalisations and then to deaths, that have been unbreakable before the vaccine – that link is now breaking. The vaccine is protecting the NHS and saving lives and that right across the country, this country’s plan is working.

    And as well as this real-world data, I want to share the results of a study by the University of Bristol which clearly shows the difference our vaccination programme is making.

    The study looked at all patients over 80 who were admitted with serious respiratory disease in Bristol.

    The results showed a single dose of both the Pfizer or Oxford/AstraZeneca jab offers around 80% protection against hospitalisation after at least 2 weeks even amongst the most frail, and those with underlying medical conditions.

    Again, as with the data that were published last week, the effect was slightly stronger in the Oxford jab than with Pfizer. What this corroborates is that what we have seen over the past couple of weeks is that vaccines work. And they’re the best way of securing our freedom.

    As of midnight last night 21.3 million people have been vaccinated.

    I can tell you that we have vaccinated two fifths of the entire adult population of the United Kingdom.

    Yesterday, I was in Scotland, seeing the combined teamwork of NHS Scotland, Scottish local authorities and the armed forces, delivering jabs in Hamilton.

    They were all working together as one, towards a common goal. Protecting us all.

    As anyone who has been to a vaccination centre will know, the joy on people’s faces when they get the jab is unbelievably uplifting.

    And more and more people will be getting this feeling of protection over the next few weeks and months.

    We’re on course to hit our target of offering a first dose to everyone who’s 50 or over, or part of an at-risk group, by 15 of April.

    And all adults by the end of July.

    The vaccine roll-out has allowed us to set out our roadmap for how we’ll carefully lift some of the restrictions that we’ve all endured for far too long.

    And as we do this, we’ll be drawing on the huge testing infrastructure that is now in place.

    We are now testing 2.8 million people a week.

    The roadmap is built on the principle of replacing the protection that comes from lockdown with the protection that comes from vaccines and regular testing.

    So, as we open up – for instance, care homes as I mentioned a moment ago, to visitors – that will come with regular testing for visitors.

    And as schools and colleges return we will be giving teachers, staff, parents, secondary and college students and their households access to rapid regular testing twice a week in term time and in holidays.

    And I urge all those and the households of those who are going back to school or to college next week to take up this offer

    One of the most dangerous things about this virus – one of those dangerous things – is that around one third of those who get it don’t get any symptoms at all and yet can still pass the disease on to others.

    That’s why it’s so important that all of us follow the social distancing and take the precautions that we know we must.

    So rapid, regular testing is a critical part of our response.

    And we can do so much more because of the huge capacity we’ve built up in NHS Test and Trace.

    I would urge you if you’re eligible to participate in one of these regular testing programmes like I do, because that is how we will keep this virus under control as we continue to roll out the vaccine

    For more information on how you can get a test, go to gov.uk/coronavirus.

    I’d urge everyone who’s eligible to get that regular testing.

    Now, I know that this pandemic has been an anxious time for so many young people.

    Growing up, after all, is tough enough at the best of times.

    But during these difficult times, it’s even tougher.

    Home schooling, being unable to see your friends, sport cancelled, and being stuck at home.

    I know just how much people are looking forward to going back to school, seeing friends in a classroom not just on Zoom.

    Monday will be a long-awaited day for many.

    But for some it’ll be a moment of unease and anxiety too.

    We need to help young people to get through this and get their life going again.

    And give them the help and support that they need.

    We’ve worked hard throughout the pandemic to make sure mental health services are open. And we’ve set up 24/7 support for those in need.

    I’m delighted to announce today that we’ll be allocating an extra £79 million to boost mental health support for children and young people.

    Almost 3 million children and young people will benefit from more mental health support teams, and those mental health support teams in schools will be working hard to ensure people get access to the support and care that they need.

    And we’ll be expanding access to mental health services in the community too.

    I’d like to end with some good news on our work to tackle new variants.

    Thanks to the brilliant team who’ve been working so hard over the past week, we’ve now successfully identified the sixth case of the variant of concern first identified in Manaus in Brazil.

    Using the latest technology, and the dogged determination of our testing and tracing scheme, we’ve successfully identified the person in question.

    The best evidence is that this person in question stayed at home and that there’s no sign that there’s been any onward transmission.

    But as a precaution, we’re putting more testing in Croydon, where they live, to minimise the risk of spread.

    This positive outcome was only possible because of the huge genome sequencing capacity that we now have in this country and our test and trace team, so we could identify these cases, track them down and contact them.

    It shows how important this capacity we’ve built is, and how important it is to be transparent whenever new variants are found.

    Because whether it’s here at home or around the world, testing, sequencing and being transparent about what you find helps stop the spread of this disease – and in particular these variants of concern which are so worrying – and protects lives.

    I’m really delighted at the work the team have done this week. They’ve worked absolutely flat out since these 6 cases were first identified on Friday and found the 6 positive cases, even though the form wasn’t filled in quite right.

    So Susan is going to say a little bit more about this in a moment but my summary is:

    Things are moving in the right direction.

    These are challenging times.

    But thanks to the vaccine, we’re making progress.

    But we’re not there yet.

    So, as we go down the road to recovery, it’s vital everybody plays their part, follows the rules and when their call comes, get your jab.

  • Keir Starmer – 2021 Comments on a Pay Rise for NHS Workers

    Keir Starmer – 2021 Comments on a Pay Rise for NHS Workers

    The comments made by Keir Starmer, the Leader of the Opposition, on 5 March 2021.

    During the pandemic it’s been our amazing NHS who’ve kept our country going, kept us safe, and looked after our loved ones.

    They’ve been there on the frontline, putting their lives on the line. They’re the very best of Britain.

    My Mum was a nurse. My sister was a nurse. My wife works in the NHS. I know what it means to work for the NHS. And if I were Prime Minister I would give them a fair pay rise that they deserve.

    However, this week we learned that the Conservative Government is planning a real term pay cut for NHS staff. The mask has finally slipped.

    After all we’ve been through together, after clapping for our carers, this is nothing short of an insult. It sends a very strong message to the British public.

    Under my leadership, Labour will stand with the NHS and with our key workers. We will argue for a better deal, for fairer pay.

    The NHS protected us, now it’s time to protect them.