Health and Social Care Update

Karen Buck Excerpts

Thursday 22nd September 2022 Commons Chamber

[Dr Coffey]

I thank my hon. Friend, including for the work he undertook as a Minister in the Department of Health and Social Care. I am conscious of the importance of that care and would be very happy to meet him, along with my right hon. Friend who contacted me today about that issue, in order to make sure that we provide not just emergency services but, as my hon. Friend rightly points out, some of the clinical care where an extended intervention is needed, to make sure that we get proper care overall.

[Ms Karen Buck (Westminster North) (Lab)]

For some years now, and at any given time, my local hospital has had the equivalent of around one ward of patients who cannot be discharged because of a lack of social care for them. London has the largest shortfall of care workers of any region in the country. It is September—we are on the edge of winter. How will the Secretary of State’s plan ensure that local authorities are able to meet pay and conditions expectations in order to fill that shortfall of care workers and enable our hospitals to concentrate on new patients, as they should?

[Dr Coffey]

I decided to diagnose, in effect, what is happening care by care, and that is really important. Nevertheless, more generally, I will of course be introducing the £500 million care fund to make sure that that happens.