Oral Answers to Questions Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateAndrew Stephenson
Main Page: Andrew Stephenson (Conservative - Pendle)Department Debates - View all Andrew Stephenson's debates with the Department of Health and Social Care
(9 years, 2 months ago)
Commons ChamberThis is a particularly difficult and tragic case. My hon. Friend is right to champion the case of her young constituent. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister asked NHS England to make further contact with the Longfellow family to fully explain the decision, and I can confirm that the clinical director for specialised services at NHS England North has spoken to the family twice in the past few days. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence is reviewing, as a priority, the evidence on the use of eculizumab in treating this condition.
T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.
During the previous Parliament I made it my priority to ensure that NHS hospitals learned from the tragedy of Mid Staffs to transform themselves into the safest hospitals anywhere in the world. That work will continue. Today NHS England has announced measures to ensure that even more funding is available to improve the quality of care. These include restrictions on the use of agency staff and management consultancies, and on senior pay. It is right that the NHS takes every possible measure to direct resources towards improving patient care.
I thank the Secretary of State for supporting the bid by East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust for £15.6 million to improve the surgical centre, opthalmology and out-patient services at Burnley General hospital, on which I lobbied him extensively. Thanks to the hard work of the trust’s staff, it has exited special measures. What progress has been made on improving safety in hospitals via the special measures regime?