Oral Answers to Questions

Marie Rimmer Excerpts

Tuesday 7th February 2017 Commons Chamber

[Mr Dunne]

The hon. Gentleman is right to point out that the STPs are looking at providing more integrated care across localities. A number of indicative proposals have to be worked through. At the moment, NHS England is reviewing each of the STPs, and the results will be presented to the Department for its consideration in the coming weeks and months. On bed closures, I gently remind him that, in the past six years of the previous Labour Government, more than 25,000 beds were closed across the NHS. In the six years since 2010, fewer than 14,000 were closed by this Government and the coalition.

[Marie Rimmer (St Helens South and Whiston) (Lab)]

7. What assessment he has made of the effect of changes to local authority social care budgets on demand for health services.

[Liz McInnes (Heywood and Middleton) (Lab)]

15. What assessment he has made of the effect of changes to local authority social care budgets on the provision of adequate health and social care services.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health (David Mowat)]

The relationship between health and social care budgets is complex. A recent study by the University of Kent has shown that, for every pound spent on care, hospital expenditure falls by between 30p and 35p. The hon. Lady will also be aware that there has been an increase in delayed transfers of care over the past two years, which has resulted in an increase in the number of unavailable hospital beds. Our best estimate of that increase is around 0.7% of total NHS bed capacity due to the increase in social care delays.

[Marie Rimmer]

It is quite amazing that the Minister is prepared to stand up and accept that there is a crisis in the NHS caused by the lack of social care provision. The crisis in social care means that more and more local authorities are reduced to just washing, feeding and toileting our elderly people. The crisis in residential care means that people from homes are going into the hospitals and choosing to leave the patients with the most complex needs, because they cannot afford the staff to look after them—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I apologise for interrupting the hon. Lady, but we must have a question: one sentence and a question mark, thank you.

[Marie Rimmer]

There is no comfort for our elderly people. It is not too late for the Government to act. I ask the Minister to look at protecting social care funding. Will he bring forward the £6 billion and the £700 million—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I am sorry, but there is a lot to get through. It is not fair on other colleagues.

[Marie Rimmer]

It is not fair on the elderly.

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I am sorry. I say to the hon. Lady without fear of contradiction that we must spread things out evenly.