Hospital Mortality Rates

Charlotte Leslie Excerpts

Tuesday 16th July 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hunt]

It is, absolutely. That is the big change. My hon. Friend speaks wisely. That is the big change that we have to make in our NHS. When there is failure, we must be open about it. It has to be public—we have to keep the public in the picture, because that is the best way of putting pressure on the system and on the politicians to make sure that they sort it out. That is not what happened before; it is going to happen now.

[Charlotte Leslie (Bristol North West) (Con)]

Does the Secretary of State share my dismay that just as Julie Bailey was hounded out of Mid Staffs by the local Labour party for revealing the truth, some of the tone of this debate—accusations, sanctimoniousness and false victimhood—is a very tangible illustration of what whistleblowers have had to face for the past decade when they have tried to get the truth out? What a tangible demonstration, sadly, this has been.

[Mr Hunt]

My hon. Friend is right. If some of those on the Opposition Benches knew exactly what Julie Bailey had to go through to expose the truth of what happened at Mid Staffs, they might think again about some of their behaviour this afternoon.