NHS: Winter 2017-18 Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateLord Hunt of Kings Heath
Main Page: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)Department Debates - View all Lord Hunt of Kings Heath's debates with the Department of Health and Social Care
(6 years, 11 months ago)
Lords ChamberThe noble Baroness is quite right. That is one of the reasons we have taken some big decisions over the winter, one of which is to reduce the amount of delayed discharges. I think it has been reduced by about 1,500 beds. It was also the reason behind what was undoubtedly an unpopular decision and one that we did not want to take: to suspend and postpone some elective surgeries during January. That freed up a number of beds, which helped us to cope with the emergency admissions. Happily, it has not had to be reinstated since the end of January.
My Lords, a huge debt is owed to the NHS for the way that it has responded to the pressures this winter. However, can I ask the Minister about elective treatments and the cancellations in January? He will know that the maximum 18-week wait target has not been met for, I think, at least two years. Given that the BMA has said that winter pressures will really never come to an end—they simply continue throughout the year—does he think that we will ever meet the 18-week target again under the current Government?