Oral Answers to Questions

Jim Shannon Excerpts
Tuesday 26th March 2019

(5 years, 8 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Matt Hancock Portrait Matt Hancock
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I am happy to look at all approaches to how we can reduce the overuse of antibiotics to preserve them so that they work effectively where they are needed. Of course GPs have a role to play in that, and the number of antibiotics prescribed by GPs has fallen in recent years, but again there is much more work to do.

Jim Shannon Portrait Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)
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Will the Minister outline whether his Department is willing to enter into an agreement with medical students to wipe out their student loans if they contract to carry out five years of GP service?

Matt Hancock Portrait Matt Hancock
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That is an interesting proposition and I would be happy to talk to the hon. Gentleman more about the idea. I was in Northern Ireland last week looking at medical services there and at what we can learn, and that might be another idea.