Oral Answers to Questions

Paula Sherriff Excerpts

Tuesday 26th March 2019 Commons Chamber

[Stephen Hammond]

My hon. Friend has been a champion of this cause for a long time, raising the matter on the Floor of the House several times. He can be assured that, as I said to the hon. Member for City of Chester (Christian Matheson), Baroness Harding has been asked to bring forward detailed plans for the cancer workforce in her implementation plan.

[Paula Sherriff (Dewsbury) (Lab)]

Mental health nurse numbers have fallen for the second month running, and learning disability nurse numbers have fallen by 40% since this Government came to power. Nearly 13,000 mental health staff left their roles between May and October 2018, and the vacancy rate is now almost 10%. The King’s Fund, the Nuffield Trust and the Health Foundation say that

“Urgent action is now required to avoid a vicious cycle of growing shortages and declining quality.”

Is it not time for Ministers to start taking such advice, rather than giving it?

[Stephen Hammond]

The Department of course takes such things seriously. My hon. Friend the Minister of State for Care met Baroness Harding last week to discuss how to ensure that there are nurses and carers to help people with learning disabilities. The money that has been promised to make that possible comes in the new financial year, which starts next week.