Oral Answers to Questions

Chris Heaton-Harris Excerpts

Tuesday 11th June 2013 Commons Chamber

[Norman Lamb]

I understand that all clinical commissioning groups have a lead on diabetes care, but we can do an awful lot more to improve prevention work. We know that if we guide people in self-care, we can achieve massive improvements in their own health and well-being, and reduce the number of crises that occur. I am happy to work with the right hon. Gentleman to ensure we do everything we can to improve diabetes care.

[Chris Heaton-Harris (Daventry) (Con)]

13. What recent representations he has received expressing concern about the service provided by the East Midlands Ambulance Service.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health (Dr Daniel Poulter)]

Over the past year we have received more than 40 letters from MPs in the east midlands, including my hon. Friend the Member for Daventry (Chris Heaton-Harris), local authorities and members of the public, about the service provided by the East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust and its being the best programme. My hon. Friend will also be aware that there was an Adjournment on the matter earlier this year.

[Chris Heaton-Harris]

The Minister will recall that I have raised a number of constituency cases with his Department and the Care Quality Commission about the standard of services provided by EMAS to my constituents, and how it treats its staff. Will he assure me that the Department will continue to monitor EMAS’s performance in the coming months?

[Dr Poulter]

My hon. Friend can be reassured that the trust development authority and the local chief commissioner for Erewash CCGs are closely monitoring the situation. Today, the Marsh review into the east of England ambulance service has been published, and lessons from that review about how management processes can improve front-line care for patients can be learned and applied across other ambulance services.

--- Later in debate ---

[Anna Soubry]

I pay tribute to the hon. Lady, who campaigns hard for her hospital, and quite rightly so. I have met my right hon. Friends the Members for Sutton and Cheam (Paul Burstow) and for Carshalton and Wallington (Tom Brake) and am more than happy to meet her to discuss all the important matters she raises.

[Chris Heaton-Harris (Daventry) (Con)]

T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.

[The Secretary of State for Health (Mr Jeremy Hunt)]

There have been two important developments since the previous Health questions. First, in response to pressure on A and E departments, my Department, together with NHS England, has started work on a vulnerable older people’s plan that will act quickly to address the underlying causes of the issues, including services that are not integrated, poor IT systems, confused emergency care offered to the public and poor primary care alternatives.

Secondly, following the tragedy at Mid Staffs, I am delighted to announced that Professor Sir Mike Richards has been appointed as England’s first ever chief inspector of hospitals. He is an inspirational leader who has personally championed huge improvements in cancer survival rates. He will lead the vital work of driving up standards of safety and care throughout NHS hospitals.

[Chris Heaton-Harris]

I thank the Secretary of State for that statement. Will he give the House an assurance that he will look at GP contracts, with a view to amending them to ensure that better care is given to older patients?

[Mr Hunt]

My hon. Friend makes an important point. Talk to any A and E department in the country, and they will say that poor alternatives in the primary care sector are one of the things that are driving the pressures on them. It is important that we look at the structures put in place by the 2004 GP contract to see whether they are the right way to provide the care we need to give to older people.