Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Bob Russell and Norman Lamb(9 years, 9 months ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Sir Bob Russell (Colchester) (LD)
10. What guidance he has given to clinical commissioning groups and mental health trusts on jointly funding not-for-profit voluntary and charitable organisations providing support for people with mental health issues.
The Minister of State, Department of Health (Norman Lamb)
The Government are clear that voluntary organisations and charities make an important contribution to the delivery of local health and social care services, including services that support people’s mental health needs. However, it is the responsibility of local commissioners to commission appropriate services based on their local population’s needs.
Sir Bob Russell
The Minister will be aware that although the NHS is one organisation, trusts seem to operate as silos. Will he convene a meeting of all the trusts in the Colchester area to discuss the future of the Haven project?
Norman Lamb
I visited the Haven last week with my hon. Friend, and I was enormously impressed by everything I heard, including the extraordinary testimonies of people with personality disorders who had benefited so much from the Haven’s service. In my view, it would be incredibly sad and very worrying if that service were to be lost. I am happy to invite the clinical commissioning group and the mental health trust to a meeting in the Department to discuss how it can be saved.
NHS Specialised Services
Debate between Bob Russell and Norman Lamb(9 years, 11 months ago)
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Westminster Hall is an alternative Chamber for MPs to hold debates, named after the adjoining Westminster Hall.
Each debate is chaired by an MP from the Panel of Chairs, rather than the Speaker or Deputy Speaker. A Government Minister will give the final speech, and no votes may be called on the debate topic.
This information is provided by Parallel Parliament and does not comprise part of the offical record
The Minister of State, Department of Health (Norman Lamb)
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Bone. Your arrival has removed the opportunity for me to be accused of sycophancy along with everyone else who has commended your predecessor in the Chair on his knighthood. None the less, I join in congratulating him, even in his absence. It is good to see you this afternoon.
I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for St Austell and Newquay (Stephen Gilbert) on securing this debate. His speech was impressive and compelling in making his case, and I hope that I can go some way towards reassuring him. However, I am happy to discuss with him further the concerns that he rightly raised, to ensure that commissioning is done in the best possible way.
Various hon. Members said that any change should be based only on improving care, not simply on cutting cost. Of course, everyone needs to be engaged in the debate about how we make the most effective use of money in the NHS, but we should not do things that damage care, simply to cut cost.
Before I go into the detail of my response to my hon. Friend, let me respond to some of the points made by other hon. Members. I will write to all hon. Members who have participated in the debate to deal with all the points of substance that have been made. The hon. Member for Bristol East (Kerry McCarthy), for example, made a number of key points at the end of her contribution. Hon. Members have had a good opportunity to raise concerns about specific conditions and patient groups, and they have done so constructively.
The hon. Member for Blaydon (Mr Anderson) raised important concerns about neuromuscular care and mentioned the Newcastle centre, and I would be happy to see him at one of my Monday evening MP advice sessions to discuss his concerns further. He also raised concerns about the drug Translarna. My colleague, the Under-Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the hon. Member for Mid Norfolk (George Freeman), who is responsible for life sciences, has committed to convene further meetings to seek a resolution of the dispute, and I hope that goes some way towards reassuring the hon. Gentleman.
The hon. Member for Congleton (Fiona Bruce) highlighted the brilliant work of the RSA—an organisation based in her constituency. She said that it had raised millions of pounds for treatments and research and that it was important that such groups have a voice and are heard. I completely accept that, and I hope to provide further reassurance in due course.
A number of concerns were raised by the hon. Member for Poplar and Limehouse (Jim Fitzpatrick)—or is he a right hon. Member? [Interruption.] I think that he deserves to be called right honourable. He referred to sickle cell disease—an important condition that was mentioned by the right hon. Member for Wolverhampton South East (Mr McFadden)—or is he an hon. Member? [Interruption.] He certainly deserves to be called right honourable, and he has clearly been rewarded. He highlighted the need to improve the care and treatment of people who suffer from sickle cell disease.
The hon. Member for Poplar and Limehouse also referred to headache disorders. My wife is one of the many people across our country who suffer from headaches and migraines, so I very much understand their impact on well-being. The hon. Gentleman asked specifically about the possibility of a meeting. Again, I would be happy to see him at one of my Monday evening sessions, but I would also be happy to make sure he and his group are put in touch with officials. I am conscious that the Department’s diary up to the end of March is chock-a-block, but I am sure he could meet officials to take the matter further, as well as meeting me on a Monday evening. I hope that is some reassurance.
My hon. Friend the Member for Colchester (Sir Bob Russell) raised the issue of prescription charges. He is right that there are anomalies—there is no point denying that—and they have existed for a long time. The previous Government looked at the issue, but they did not quite get round to doing anything in relation to long-term conditions, and this Government have also not acted. The constant problem is the pressure on resources in the NHS. People on low incomes are, of course, protected, but he made a valid and legitimate point, and the debate is, rightly, bound to continue. The other point that he made, by analogy, is that any move NHS England makes on this front must not do more damage to people with long-term conditions. I hope to reassure him that that will not happen.
Sir Bob Russell
Will the Minister explain what possible justification there can be for somebody with cystic fibrosis having to pay a prescription charge, when they would not have to do so if they had diabetes and cystic fibrosis?
Norman Lamb
My hon. Friend makes a legitimate challenge. These anomalies have not been addressed so far, but they need to be at some point. I do not seek to deny his point.
The hon. Member for Mitcham and Morden (Siobhain McDonagh) highlighted the work of Headway, which provides incredible support for people with brain injuries and their families. She mentioned the helpline and the emergency fund, which will be of enormous help to families in the incredibly difficult circumstances they face.
The hon. Member for Bristol East mentioned the Cystic Fibrosis Trust—another amazing patient organisation that does extraordinarily important work. She talked about the importance of equity of access, and it is incredibly important that that principle is maintained in any changes that take place. We do not want to return to the postcode lottery that existed in the past. Again, I am happy to try to provide responses to the questions she asked at the end of her speech.
The hon. Member for Walsall South (Valerie Vaz) was incredibly generous in her remarks about the shadow Minister, and I feel the same about him—let us be blunt about that. I appreciate her kind remarks about me—indeed, the feeling is entirely mutual. She made some really important points about epilepsy and Epilepsy Action. She highlighted concerns about many CCGs and health and wellbeing boards not yet engaging fully in work on epilepsy. That critical issue goes beyond this debate, but I completely take the point that there needs to be a lot more understanding and recognition of the importance of good epilepsy care that follows good practice and addresses the awful problem of so many people losing their lives unnecessarily to this condition.
Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Bob Russell and Norman Lamb(9 years, 11 months ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
The Minister of State, Department of Health (Norman Lamb)
The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right that what happens in social care has an impact on the health service, and the answer has to be to stop seeing them as two separate systems and to look at the whole health and care system. That is why the better care fund is such an incredibly important initiative, pooling a substantial sum of health and care funds, and it must go further so that we end up pooling the entire resource.
Sir Bob Russell (Colchester) (LD)
T6. The last Government abolished community health councils, a truly independent health watchdog and voice for patients. Their replacement, the patient advice and liaison service, is not independent. Does the Minister agree that PALS must be made independent?
Norman Lamb
PALS was not the direct replacement of community health councils; a different scheme was set up for the patient and public voice independent of hospitals. My hon. Friend raises important concerns about PALS and the Government are intent on looking at the service to ensure that it performs effectively for patients.