NHS Pensions: Frontline Patient Care

Debate between Blake Stephenson and Karin Smyth

Thursday 17th July 2025 Commons Chamber

[Karin Smyth]

The hon. Gentleman highlights yet another mess that we inherited due to his party’s lack of proper engagement with the workforce over the last decade to resolve the disincentives to making the system work more effectively.

Making the system work more efficiently and more effectively is a key part of our 10-year plan announced, I think, only last week—the days keep rolling by. We not only involved the public in those conversations but had valuable conversations and received insights from all staff groups. There is a real spirit of optimism that everyone wants to pull together to ensure that the incentives are right for staff at all levels—over 1.5 million of them—to make the NHS fit for the future, and that is what we are focused on.

[Blake Stephenson (Mid Bedfordshire) (Con)]

The Minister knows that I have a keen interest in NHS reorganisation and the impact on frontline services, particularly in Mid Bedfordshire. Given the failures of NHSBSA, has consideration been given to reorganising that authority? I also repeat the question asked by my hon. Friend the Member for North West Norfolk (James Wild): given the failures, will the Minister rule out bonuses for the NHSBSA’s leadership?

[Karin Smyth]

I am totally focused on remedying this situation and learning from the mistakes. If further action is required, I will happily update the House at that point. My absolute focus at the moment is on getting everybody in that organisation and the independent review focused on sorting out the pension situation for those who have already lost out.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Blake Stephenson and Karin Smyth

Tuesday 6th May 2025 Commons Chamber

[Blake Stephenson (Mid Bedfordshire) (Con)]

5. Whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the interaction between mayors and integrated care boards, in the context of the English devolution White Paper.

[The Minister for Secondary Care (Karin Smyth)]

Our mission-driven approach to this issue means that we are working with all Departments to deliver an NHS fit for the future. We expect integrated care boards to work closely with their mayors to maximise public health and contribute to the Government’s health and growth missions.

[Blake Stephenson]

Funding and delivery of a GP surgery for Wixams in my constituency continues to fall between the cracks of developers, local councils and the local ICB. Does the Minister agree that to break those deadlocks and build the infrastructure that our communities require, new mayors should have the power to direct ICBs, making locally elected politicians responsible rather than unelected quangos?

[Karin Smyth]

The hon. Member tempts me slightly on local accountability, on which he has been a strong campaigner. As he knows from meeting me, I agree that it is important that such local bodies respond properly so that where there are expansions of housing, which we want to see, they are supported by local infrastructure. I am happy to come back to him with any further detail.

--- Later in debate ---

[The Minister for Secondary Care (Karin Smyth)]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right that this is exactly the sort of thing that is being rolled out across the country, and that we are committed to delivering care closer to where his residents live.

[Blake Stephenson (Mid Bedfordshire) (Con)]

T5. Residents in Mid Bedfordshire are concerned about the standards of maintenance at our two local hospitals. What action are the Government taking to support our hospitals in Luton and Bedford to catch up on maintenance backlogs?

Hospice Funding

Debate between Blake Stephenson and Karin Smyth

Thursday 19th December 2024 Commons Chamber

[Karin Smyth]

As Lord Darzi’s report announced, the entire sector has been under pressure and struggling since the disastrous Lansley reforms—they were part of the coalition Government—through to when we took over in July. We will fix the NHS and rebuild it to make it more sustainable and fit for the future. That includes everything from diagnosis to end of life care.

[Blake Stephenson (Mid Bedfordshire) (Con)]

For my sins, I too will be running the London marathon next year. I will be running to raise money for Keech hospice; I know, as do other hon. Members who represent constituencies in Bedfordshire, what fantastic work that hospice does and the care it provides to our county. The Minister has been asked lots of times to comment on the impact of the NIC increases, which are going to hurt hospices in constituencies all around the country, so may I ask the question in a slightly different way? Does the Minister think that Keech hospice, taken in the round, will be financially better off or worse off next year as a result of both the Budget and this announcement that she has been dragged to the House to make?

[Karin Smyth]

I have not been dragged—I am very happy to be here. The reality is that the health sector in its entirety, from diagnosis to end of life care, will be better off this year than it was last year or the year before under the hon. Gentleman’s Government.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Blake Stephenson and Karin Smyth

Tuesday 15th October 2024 Commons Chamber

[Blake Stephenson (Mid Bedfordshire) (Con)]

T3. I welcome all efforts to increase the number of GPs throughout England. Residents in new and growing towns such as Wixams in Mid Bedfordshire need a GP surgery. My local councils have been told that they need to put up the capital to deliver one, causing concern about cash flow and borrowing costs. Will the Minister meet me to discuss a new capital investment programme to ensure that residents in new towns such as Wixams do not have to wait for developer contributions to get the services they need?

[The Minister for Secondary Care (Karin Smyth)]

As Lord Darzi outlined, capital development in the NHS is shocking, with a backlog of £11 billion in maintenance. I would be happy to meet the hon. Member to discuss his problem.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Blake Stephenson and Karin Smyth

Tuesday 23rd July 2024 Commons Chamber

[The Minister for Secondary Care (Karin Smyth)]

My hon. Friend makes an excellent point about the stress that people face when waiting, and we have talked about the disaster of the past 14 years. People with potentially deteriorating conditions are waiting, and we absolutely need to address this issue as part of our work to reduce waiting lists.

[Blake Stephenson (Mid Bedfordshire) (Con)]

T6. The Government have announced ambitious house building targets but, as far as I could tell, the Labour party manifesto was silent on the GP estate upgrades. Does the Secretary of State agree that the Conservative policy of rebuilding or refurbishing 250 GP surgeries in England is a sensible policy to implement?