Oral Answers to Questions

James Cartlidge Excerpts

Tuesday 29th October 2019 Commons Chamber

[Caroline Dinenage]

You will know as well as everyone in the House, Mr Speaker, that that is a sensitive matter on which Members have contrasting views. The right hon. Gentleman is right to continue to raise the issue, but the legislation surrounding it continues to lie with the Ministry of Justice.

[James Cartlidge (South Suffolk) (Con)]

8. What steps he is taking to ensure the adequate long-term provision of mental health services.

[Jack Lopresti (Filton and Bradley Stoke) (Con)]

20. What steps he is taking to ensure the adequate long-term provision of mental health services.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Ms Nadine Dorries)]

By 2023, an additional £2.3 billion a year will flow into mental health services across England. Our long-term plan for that increased investment will ensure that more adults, children and young people than ever before are able to get mental health support when they need it. Increased funding will also support further improvements in quality of care and patient experience.

[James Cartlidge]

I welcome my hon. Friend to her position. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will be more than familiar with the long-running problems at the Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, which is our county’s main mental health trust. There is a huge effort to try to improve it, but I know from constituency cases that significant problems still exist. Will Ministers update us on what progress they think has been made at NSFT?

[Ms Dorries]

My hon. Friend works tirelessly on his constituents’ behalf. In fact, I think I am meeting some of his constituents tomorrow. I will look into the issues he raises, but the trust has been working since May 2018 on delivering the immediate improvements suggested by the Care Quality Commission, and leadership support has been provided by East London NHS Foundation Trust. I promise to look into the situation to see where the trust is at this point and what improvements have been made, and I may have that information to feed back to him tomorrow.