Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Keir Starmer and Sarah Coombes

Wednesday 9th October 2024 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

Because the promise of 40 new hospitals did not involve 40 and did not involve hospitals, they were not new, and they were not funded.

[Sarah Coombes (West Bromwich) (Lab)]

Q2. One of the biggest issues in my constituency is poor access to GP services. Our GP satisfaction rate is 15% below the national average. I thank the Government for their focus on improving the situation. What are they doing to ensure that everyone in West Bromwich can actually see their GP?

[The Prime Minister]

The most visible sign of the failure of the last Government was the NHS. We are going to expand the role of community pharmacies and accelerate the roll-out of independent prescribers. We need much more care to be delivered in local communities so that problems can be spotted earlier, and we will train thousands more GPs. We were elected to change the country, and that means getting the NHS back on its feet. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor will have much more to say about that in the Budget—about fixing the foundations of our economy so that we can put money in people’s pockets, fix our public services and rebuild Britain.