Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Baroness McIntosh of Pickering and Paul Burstow

Tuesday 17th July 2012 Commons Chamber

[Paul Burstow]

We know from the most recent survey published by Laing and Buisson that there has been a 1.4% increase in the fees paid this year, compared with no increase last year. We also know that there is a surplus of places, which accounts for about 10% of the total number of bed places available in care homes up and down the country. So there is actually space, and it is entirely appropriate for local authorities to negotiate appropriate prices to provide good-quality care from one locality to another.

[Miss Anne McIntosh (Thirsk and Malton) (Con)]

Following the census announcement yesterday that there are elderly hot spots, including North Yorkshire, will this is be a good opportunity for the Minister and the Government to review health and social care funding to reflect a growing elderly population in sparsely populated, isolated rural areas such as North Yorkshire?

[Paul Burstow]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right to highlight those issues and the emerging findings from the survey. It is important to say that data will be a key consideration in how the next spending review is shaped, along with the priorities that the Government will give to different demographic pressures as a result.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Baroness McIntosh of Pickering and Paul Burstow

Tuesday 27th March 2012 Commons Chamber

[Paul Burstow]

My hon. Friend has raised an important point about the importance of joining up hospital care, community care and social care, which has often been overlooked. We have invested more than £300 million this year in developing more re-ablement services, and in January we invested an extra £150 million in support for them. We are also extending our plans for more tariff reform to ensure that local hospitals have the means to drive the development of such services in their communities.

[Miss Anne McIntosh (Thirsk and Malton) (Con)]

11. What recent representations he has received on the 111 pilot telephone service; and if he will make a statement.

Southern Cross Healthcare

Debate between Baroness McIntosh of Pickering and Paul Burstow

Thursday 16th June 2011 Commons Chamber

[Paul Burstow]

On the hon. Gentleman’s question about the staffing of the CQC, I can confirm that last October I authorised an additional 75 inspectors’ posts to be filled by that organisation to strengthen it in the very way that he asks for.

[Miss Anne McIntosh (Thirsk and Malton) (Con)]

Given that the change in business model seems to have led to the current difficulties, what procedures have the Government and the Department put in place to prevent similar business collapses? Is the Minister convinced that the CQC has sufficient investigative, as opposed to enforcement, powers should the problem sadly recur in future?

[Paul Burstow]

There are certainly issues arising from the current situation that we will want to consider as we go about reforming social care. However, I think it would be wrong, while we are in the midst of the restructuring that the company is undertaking, to bring forward a hard and fast set of solutions to ensure the long-term stability of the social care sector.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Baroness McIntosh of Pickering and Paul Burstow

Tuesday 26th April 2011 Commons Chamber

[Paul Burstow]

I certainly stand by the idea that the Government provided adequate resources in the financial settlement last year, alongside efficiency savings, to ensure that every local authority could choose to maintain the current levels of eligibility and services in its area if it so wished.

[Miss Anne McIntosh (Thirsk and Malton) (Con)]

Will the Minister examine situations in which domiciliary care contracts are awarded under the EU public procurement directives, to ensure that especially when they are awarded on price, they are not dumbed down and the level of service reduced?

[Paul Burstow]

My hon. Friend makes an important point about ensuring that competition is always based on quality, not just price. If she would like to write to me with more details about the matter, I would certainly be happy to follow it up with her.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Baroness McIntosh of Pickering and Paul Burstow

Tuesday 29th June 2010 Commons Chamber

[Mr Burstow]

I am grateful for that question. Obviously, the devolved Administrations are responsible for health care in their own areas, so we have an opportunity to learn lessons from each other. This Government will examine the evaluation of the scheme that the Welsh Administration are undertaking to see whether it provides any lessons for our system.

[Miss Anne McIntosh (Thirsk and Malton) (Con)]

Will the Minister say whether the money provided by the primary care trust is ring-fenced? Will he ensure that the time-sensitive nature of such conditions, especially wet and dry macular degeneration, will be taken into account across all the English PCTs?