North Middlesex Hospital Accident and Emergency Services: Cancer Patients

Kate Osamor Excerpts

Tuesday 3rd March 2026 Westminster Hall

[Kate Osamor (Edmonton and Winchmore Hill) (Lab/Co-op)]

I beg to move,

That this House has considered the experience of cancer patients with accident and emergency services at North Middlesex Hospital.

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Dr Murrison. I thank you and the House for granting me the opportunity to speak about the urgent care pathway for cancer patients at North Middlesex university hospital, and to discuss the potential for dedicated funding for an oncology assessment unit.

In Edmonton and Winchmore Hill, as in many constituencies across the country, too many people with cancer are being let down. In the UK, cancer mortality rates are significantly higher than in comparable countries, and the survival rate is lower. I am glad that the Government have recognised the issue and are taking steps to address it, most significantly through the national cancer plan. I welcome the plan’s ambition to diagnose more cancers early, to ensure that treatment starts more quickly and to improve survival.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

I commend the hon. Lady on securing the debate. She is right to illustrate this important issue at her local hospital, which is replicated wherever we might be the United Kingdom. Indeed, people back home are waiting 12 hours for admission or discharge. Those who attend A&E should be treated within four hours, but that is not happening. Does the hon. Lady agree that strengthening community-based cancer services is essential to protect patients, ease pressure on emergency departments and ensure that people with cancer get the right care in the right place at the right time?

[Kate Osamor]

I thank the hon. Member for his intervention; later in my speech I will discuss the work the community is doing.

Faster diagnosis and quicker treatment are vital to improving outcomes for cancer patients. However, I am concerned that the Government are placing less emphasis on other critical aspects of the care that cancer patients receive. The case of North Middlesex hospital in my Edmonton and Winchmore Hill constituency, which I am very proud to represent, is evidence of that. On the one hand, since 2023, North Middlesex hospital has received two new radiotherapy machines, which should help to ensure that cancer patients receive treatment more quickly and limit the number of hospital visits they need to make. But on the other hand, the hospital is under-resourced in other important areas, which is having a negative impact on patients’ experiences.

I have particular concerns about the experience of cancer patients in the accident and emergency department. From talking to my constituents and their families, I know that oncology patients who are admitted to the hospital are often assessed in the emergency department, but it does not have the physical space or isolation capacity required to safely manage immunocompromised individuals. Despite an acute oncology service that works extremely hard to prioritise those patients, the North Middlesex hospital emergency department often struggles to provide appropriate private triage areas or guarantee a rapid review for vulnerable cancer patients, because of high patient volumes and infection-control pressures. Over recent years, this has caused a number of my constituents to be put in an environment that is unsuitable for their condition, and caused a great deal of upset and discomfort.

I have been in correspondence with one of my constituents, Mrs Mary Thorn, regarding the experience of her late husband, Mr Jack Thorn, at North Middlesex hospital, and Mrs Thorn has given me permission to discuss the experience of her late husband at the hospital. Mr Thorn was diagnosed with cancer in July 2022, and in January 2023 he began chemotherapy treatment. Following the conclusion of the first type of chemotherapy treatment, Mr Thorn was told multiple times that he needed to be admitted back into hospital. However, upon arriving at hospital, rather than being admitted straight into the cancer ward, he was made to sit in the A&E waiting room to be triaged. On one occasion, he was made to wait for 15 hours. Because of the immunosuppressive treatment that many cancer patients undergo, they are at a heightened risk of infection, meaning that staying in A&E wards for extended periods risks worsening their condition.

Since my correspondence with Mrs Thorn, I have heard from several other constituents who have suffered similar ordeals. One of my constituents, who has now sadly passed away, went to the North Middlesex emergency department following a concerning reaction to the immunotherapy treatment she was receiving for her cancer. She arrived at the hospital on a Saturday and was not moved into a side room until the Monday, meaning that she was forced to sleep in a chair for two days while very unwell. During this time she could not shower, had no privacy and was unable to return home to collect any belongings or change clothing.

Since hearing of Mr Thorn’s experience, I have engaged closely with the North Middlesex hospital and the Royal Free London NHS foundation trust, which now manages the hospital. The trust has been taking steps to improve the experience of oncology patients at North Middlesex hospital through efforts to reduce waiting times and speed up the pathway for them. Those steps include the creation of the same-day emergency care hub and the emergency ambulatory care unit, which provide a safer and more appropriate environment for patients, away from the emergency department.

Despite those measures, North Middlesex hospital has not been provided with the necessary resources for the triage of patients who require isolation. The trust proposes an initiative to establish an oncology assessment unit for patients who require minimal intervention, to bypass the emergency department, but this has been prevented from progressing further, after some promising initial steps. This was due to there being no available funds in existing budgets and the lack of external funding to hire the additional specialist staff required to establish the oncology assessment unit.

The situation highlights the urgent need for targeted investment. Without dedicated support, the trust will not be able to guarantee the safer, specialist-led pathway for cancer patients that clinicians have repeatedly recommended. The experiences of Mr Thorn and my other constituents demonstrate the human impact of the gap in provision, and the response of the trust makes it clear that local efforts alone cannot solve the issue. If the Government are serious about putting cancer patients “front and centre”, as the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has previously stated, they must do more to support stretched and under-resourced hospitals such as the North Middlesex, as well as its dedicated and hard-working staff—not only to protect the dignity and wellbeing of cancer patients, but to improve outcomes and survival rates.

I have three requests that I would like the Minister to consider. First, will the Department consider taking steps to ensure that North Middlesex hospital is granted the funding it needs to establish an oncology assessment unit, so that patients who experience treatment-related complications can be assessed properly in an appropriate environment, avoiding the risks associated with overcrowded emergency departments? Secondly, will the Minister consider carrying out a wider assessment of the safety and suitability of the settings in which immunocompromised oncology patients are placed when they are admitted to hospitals across the country, and how that may affect outcomes for cancer patients? Lastly, how will the proposals in the 10-year health plan for England on shifting from hospital to community care affect the experience of those suffering from cancer, to prevent them from having to attend A&E in the first place?

I pay tribute to Mrs Thorn for her tireless advocacy on this matter, with me and my office, with the North Middlesex hospital and with the wider Royal Free London foundation trust, to push for improvements in oncology care following the death of her husband Mr Jack Thorn. Her constant advocacy in the face of such devastating loss is truly commendable.

Oral Answers to Questions

Kate Osamor Excerpts

Tuesday 22nd July 2025 Commons Chamber

[Karin Smyth]

The hon. Member highlights the importance of getting this right not only from hospital to discharge but, crucially, in primary care, where 90% of patient contacts happen across the system. That is why a central plank of our 10-year plan has been moving the entire system from the analogue to the digital age. We have allocated £10 billion, particularly in this spending review, to address this issue and make sure we get this right for the system and for patients.

[Kate Osamor (Edmonton and Winchmore Hill) (Lab/Co-op)]

8. What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the 10-year health plan for England on the prevention of ill health.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Ashley Dalton)]

The 10-year health plan sets out how we are transforming our approach to preventing ill health through a set of ambitious measures that make the healthy choice the easy choice. Among those measures is our mandatory partnership with food businesses, through which we will make shopping baskets across the country healthier, and our landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill, to help deliver our ambition for a smoke-free UK by gradually ending the sale of tobacco products across the country.

[Kate Osamor]

I thank the Minister for her response. Sickle cell disease disproportionately affects people from African and Caribbean backgrounds, yet systematic inequalities persist. A recent NHS Race and Health Observatory report reveals that research funding for cystic fibrosis is 2.5 times higher, despite similar prevalence. Will the Minister commit to addressing the chronic underfunding and ensure equitable investment in research and workforce specialist training for sickle cell patients across the NHS?

[Ashley Dalton]

The Government are committed to addressing health inequalities experienced by people living with rare conditions such as sickle cell disorder. Pioneering research is a cross-cutting theme of the UK rare diseases framework, but we know that there are a small number of rare conditions with a large amount of research, while many more have little or no funded research. I want to confirm for my hon. Friend that the National Institute for Health and Care Research welcomes funding applications for research into all and any aspects of health or care, including sickle cell disorder.

Oral Answers to Questions

Kate Osamor Excerpts

Tuesday 11th February 2025 Commons Chamber

[James Naish (Rushcliffe) (Lab)]

6. What steps his Department is taking to support hospices.

[Kate Osamor (Edmonton and Winchmore Hill) (Lab/Co-op)]

7. What steps his Department is taking to support hospices.

[Harpreet Uppal (Huddersfield) (Lab)]

20. What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of long-term funding for hospices.

--- Later in debate ---

[Stephen Kinnock]

I thank my hon. Friend for this important question, and I commend the work of hospices such as Nottinghamshire hospice in his constituency, which I know does a wonderful job for people in his area. The investment I referred to in my earlier answer will help hospices such as Nottinghamshire hospice to provide quality end-of-life care to patients and their families this year and next. It can be used to improve IT systems, make it easier for GPs and hospitals to share vital data on patients, and help to develop and improve outreach services to support people in their own homes, when needed.

[Kate Osamor]

North London Hospice in my constituency has a site in Winchmore Hill that receives one third of its funding from the NHS, with the rest coming from the generosity of the public. Many of its services, such as out-patients and wellbeing, are funded entirely by donations. While it welcomes the announcement of the £100 million in funding, what assurances can the Government provide about long-term hospice funding, given the significant delays in accessing funding from integrated care boards this year? Hospices are anxious to seek clarity about the allocation and distribution of this funding.

[Stephen Kinnock]

I thank my hon. Friend for that question. On her point about long-term funding, last week I chaired a roundtable with key stakeholders from the sector, and we were absolutely focused on developing a plan to secure the long-term sustainability of the sector. We cannot go back to the cliff edge that we have had over the last few months, primarily due to the utterly chaotic and shambolic way in which the Conservative party managed our system in the past.

Income Tax (Charge)

Kate Osamor Excerpts

Tuesday 5th November 2024 Commons Chamber

[Kate Osamor (Edmonton and Winchmore Hill) (Lab/Co-op)]

Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, for calling me so early in the debate. I was not expecting that.

I very much welcome the investment in our NHS, and our renewed focus on public services. The Budget marks a break from the approach of the last Government, who presided over the decline of our health system. With this renewed investment, the biggest since 2010, there is now some hope that we can turn a dire situation around. We must improve patient outcomes, reduce waiting times and support the hard-working staff who form the backbone of our health system. However, I want to stress to the Secretary of State—my constituency neighbour —that investment must focus not only on delivering numbers, but on quality of care, with a human touch and equal access for all. That requires us to reject the creeping privatisation of our health service, which has proven costly, inefficient and bad for patients.

Before coming to this House, I worked in the NHS as a practice manager in the London borough of Enfield. I also worked in an out-of-hours GP co-operative, which covered north and east London. I know from first-hand experience that GP surgeries and core NHS services must remain publicly owned and accountable to their patients and staff, the public and stakeholders. Furthermore, I have deep reservations about the current plan to grant the NHS data platform contract to Palantir, which raises serious questions about privacy, security and the future of our NHS data infrastructure.

[Christine Jardine (Edinburgh West) (LD)]

I was listening very carefully to what the hon. Lady said about her experience as a practice manager. Over this past weekend and the last two days, I have been contacted by local practices in my constituency that are concerned about the impact of the national insurance changes on their ability to provide patient care and the vital first step towards getting people into the hospital and through the waiting lists. Does the hon. Lady agree that we have to address that as a fundamental problem that is potentially created by this Budget?

[Kate Osamor]

I thank the hon. Member for her intervention. I would add that it is important that patients, doctors and everyone else are listened to. I am assured that the Secretary of State will be listening to all voices.

NHS data is a public asset. Its management should be rooted firmly within the NHS, not placed in the hands of private interests, especially those controlled by an individual who is so hostile to the principles of public healthcare. Our NHS thrives due to the work of everyone in the system, from nurses to administrative staff and healthcare assistants, who each play a critical role in patient care. We must listen to all NHS staff, not just those in the highest-ranking medical roles, as everyone brings valuable frontline perspectives on improving efficiency, patient experience and accessibility.

I especially draw attention to the hard-working staff who provide out-of-hours services for our communities, often doing so on top of their normal hours. The Government must ensure that those professionals receive not only recognition, but the resources and support they need to continue serving our communities in this vital way. Staff in out-of-hours services often only work in such settings part time. However, they are often the last resort for people who are unable to get appointments with their GP or access the care they need.

We must also address the postcode lottery in healthcare. For various conditions, disparities persist in access to specialists, waiting times and outcomes in relation to area, ethnicity and gender.

The stark reality is that mental health services remain woefully inadequate. We face a mental health crisis, especially among young people, and this impacts on personal wellbeing and ruins life chances. We urgently need targeted investment in mental health services, and I look forward to supporting the Government in ensuring that the crisis in mental health support is treated with the seriousness it demands.

This Budget is a strong step in the right direction, but we must go further to ensure that the NHS remains public, that mental health is prioritised and that all NHS staff have a voice in shaping the future of our health system. I ask the Secretary of State to focus on all those areas, because I believe that if we have consistent investment throughout this Parliament, we can ensure that we make progress towards an NHS that works and in which everyone is able to access the quality and timely care that they justly deserve.

[Madam Deputy Speaker]

I call the Liberal Democrat spokesperson.