Health and Adult Social Care Reform

Calvin Bailey Excerpts

Monday 6th January 2025 Commons Chamber

[Wes Streeting]

Thanks to the decisions taken by the Chancellor in the Budget, we are boosting the spending power of local authorities significantly, and £880 million has been ringfenced specifically for social care. I appreciate that a single Budget cannot undo 14 years of Conservative failure, but this is an important start, and of course we want year-on-year improvement in the delivery of social care. Baroness Casey will consider all these issues, and also how we can improve ease of access and care quality across the public and private sectors.

[Mr Calvin Bailey (Leyton and Wanstead) (Lab)]

I strongly welcome the Government’s action to help my constituents in Leyton and Wanstead get the care that they need faster. Our local hospital, Whipps Cross, continues to struggle, despite the hard work of its staff and leaders, NHS workers and carers, who continued to provide services to our community over Christmas. In November, 36% of patients at Whipps waited more than four hours for emergency care. In recent weeks, 16% have waited longer than 12 hours. Does my right hon. Friend agree that this welcome package of long-term reforms will address both elective care and emergency care for our constituents by moving the effort from hospital to the community?

[Wes Streeting]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right about that. If we improve the service at Whipps Cross hospital for his constituents, it will have the added benefit of improving the service at Whipps Cross Hospital for my constituents, too.