Orkambi and Cystic Fibrosis Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateHugh Gaffney
Main Page: Hugh Gaffney (Labour - Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill)Department Debates - View all Hugh Gaffney's debates with the Department of Health and Social Care
(6 years, 5 months ago)
Westminster HallWestminster Hall is an alternative Chamber for MPs to hold debates, named after the adjoining Westminster Hall.
Each debate is chaired by an MP from the Panel of Chairs, rather than the Speaker or Deputy Speaker. A Government Minister will give the final speech, and no votes may be called on the debate topic.
This information is provided by Parallel Parliament and does not comprise part of the offical record
I thank the hon. Lady for that intervention, and I totally agree with her.
I will finish on the issue of living with cystic fibrosis by saying that in addition to having physio and nebulisers, sufferers often have to take a huge cocktail of drugs, as the hon. Member for South Antrim said. The cupboard that I saw for Grace was bigger than one of my kitchen cupboards and it was just full of medicines. There have to be savings in that respect. To return to the hon. Lady’s point, it is really important that we have a system that is fit for purpose. We can sit there and put sticking plasters, as it were, on all these things, but that is what we need. When we are talking about the health service as a whole, it is not always about the big headlines that we argue about across the Chamber. It is about efficiency and ensuring that things work in the modern age. For modern diseases, there need to be modern treatments and so on.
The hon. Gentleman is making a great speech. Before he finishes, I would like to say that I have had more than 250 emails on this issue alone from my small constituency. The point I want to make to the Minister is that we have a full house in this Chamber and a full Public Gallery. I want this noted. The Government have to act on this issue—not just talk about it, but act on it. Let us take some action.
I thank the hon. Gentleman for that intervention. I will give way one more time and then conclude.