Future of Health and Care

Gareth Davies Excerpts

Thursday 11th February 2021 Commons Chamber

[Mr Deputy Speaker]

Sorry about the gremlins, Imran, but the Secretary of State did very well in answering your question.

[Gareth Davies (Grantham and Stamford) (Con) [V]]

Can my right hon. Friend assure my constituents that bringing health and social care much closer together will help to provide a more efficient, higher-quality service? Can he specifically outline how an integrated care model may help to reduce demand for emergency services in Lincolnshire?

[Matt Hancock]

I very much hope so. This is about being able to deliver services according to local need and, crucially, not just looking at the patients who turn up—whether that is to an emergency service or through their GP for treatment in secondary care—but trying to get ahead of that and support people to stay healthy, bringing the budget of the NHS to bear on keeping people healthy in the first place. That preventive agenda is critical and can ensure not only that people stay more healthy but that we spend money more wisely.