Oral Answers to Questions

Luciana Berger Excerpts

Tuesday 5th January 2016 Commons Chamber

[Alistair Burt]

Indeed; the ability to see how these pilot projects respond to the different demographics in different areas enables one area to learn from another. Torbay has come up frequently in this context, and I am pleased to be able to praise it again. While I am on my feet, I should also like to point out that many of those involved in adult social care were greatly affected by the recent flooding in the north of England and that they were looking after vulnerable people and working beyond the front line. That work was very important, and I am grateful to Ray James of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services and to all those working in local authorities in the affected areas who contributed so well to looking after vulnerable people during that period.

[Luciana Berger (Liverpool, Wavertree) (Lab/Co-op)]

The report on the appalling failures at Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust highlighted the fact that more than 1,000 unexpected deaths of mental health and learning disability patients, many of which took place outside hospital, had not been investigated. Given that the Health Secretary did not allow the House an opportunity to scrutinise those findings before Christmas, will he or the Minister respond today to the widely held concern that the experience of that NHS trust is not an isolated one? Does the Minister agree that a national public investigation is now needed?