Oral Answers to Questions

Ben Bradshaw Excerpts

Tuesday 25th January 2011 Commons Chamber

[Anne Milton]

Yes, I would just like to point out to the hon. Gentleman that TB has changed from being a disease of the whole population to one that affects high-risk groups. In fact, the Joint Committee on Immunisation and Vaccination looked at this in 2005 and reaffirmed it in 2009. We are confident that this targeted approach is the best way of addressing the problem.

[Mr Ben Bradshaw (Exeter) (Lab)]

13. What assessment he has made of the likely effects on waiting times of his proposed reorganisation of the NHS.

[The Minister of State, Department of Health (Mr Simon Burns)]

The proposed changes will focus the NHS on quality and the results that matter to patients—such as how successful their treatment was—and not just on bureaucratic processes such as waiting time targets. Waiting times are important to patients, along with the quality of their experience and outcomes, which will drive improvements in the future.

[Mr Bradshaw]

Well, what a revelation! I think that the Minister will find that the public do care about waiting times. Will he confirm that waiting times are already going up, that more people are already waiting more than 18 weeks—the maximum that we achieved when we were in government—and that the performance of accident and emergency departments has deteriorated since he watered down our A and E targets?

[Mr Burns]

I think that the right hon. Gentleman either did not hear my earlier remarks or had penned his question prior to hearing them. What I said was that waiting times are important to patients—and if he looks at the record tomorrow, he will see that. May I also explain to him that the average median time for the latest month available—November—shows patients completing a referral to treatment pathway in about 8.3 weeks? The right hon. Gentleman’s comments on A and E are just factually wrong and somewhat cheap.