Accident and Emergency Departments

Diana Johnson Excerpts
Tuesday 10th September 2013

(11 years, 1 month ago)

Commons Chamber
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Jeremy Hunt Portrait Mr Hunt
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I would be delighted to go to Princess Alexandra hospital, where I am sure the work is indeed excellent. I agree with my hon. Friend’s fundamental point, which is that this Government took the very difficult decision not just to protect the NHS budget, but to increase it. That was described as irresponsible by the right hon. Member for Leigh (Andy Burnham). We are spending £600 million more in real terms this year than we would have spent if we had followed his advice. That makes a very big difference to hospitals such as that in my hon. Friend’s constituency.

Diana Johnson Portrait Diana Johnson (Kingston upon Hull North) (Lab)
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Will the Secretary of State be clear: did the risk register warn the Government that their reorganisation would hit the A and E performance targets?

Jeremy Hunt Portrait Mr Hunt
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There has been exhaustive analysis of the problems in A and E departments and whenever I have visited such departments I have not heard a single person say that the reorganisation was the cause of them. What they talk about is the underlying problems, which we are addressing today.