All 2 Debates between Robert Halfon and Paul Burstow

Tue 7th Jun 2011

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Robert Halfon and Paul Burstow
Tuesday 10th January 2012

(12 years, 11 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Robert Halfon Portrait Robert Halfon (Harlow) (Con)
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A BBC Essex investigation into Rushcliffe’s Partridge care home in my constituency has uncovered shocking allegations of abuse and neglect. Will the Minister urge the Care Quality Commission to step in now with an inquiry and take whatever legal action is necessary to protect the elderly residents? Will he meet me and my constituent Lesley Minchin who has a relative who has suffered as a result of what has been going on in the care home?

Paul Burstow Portrait The Minister of State, Department of Health (Paul Burstow)
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I certainly share my hon. Friend’s concerns. BBC Essex’s reports of abuse and degrading treatment in that care home are cause for concern. The CQC is due to publish a report shortly and I am certainly happy to meet my hon. Friend to discuss the matter further. The Government are determined to shine a light on abuse wherever it is found and to root it out of the system to ensure that people are treated with dignity and respect and get the care they need.

Winterbourne View Care Home

Debate between Robert Halfon and Paul Burstow
Tuesday 7th June 2011

(13 years, 6 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Paul Burstow Portrait Paul Burstow
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The local authority was notified in the same way, so there are a number of agencies at which we need to look carefully and critically, and that is what the independently chaired serious case review will do. That is what the review by the CQC is about, and we will pull all those reviews together. If there are any gaps in the information that comes from that process, we will make sure that they are filled. However, the key thing is that lessons are learned along the way and changes are made straight away.

Robert Halfon Portrait Robert Halfon (Harlow) (Con)
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Further to what the hon. Member for Hampstead and Kilburn (Glenda Jackson) said, given that the CQC clearly ignored the advice it was given, there should be resignations at the highest level—the buck has to stop somewhere.

Paul Burstow Portrait Paul Burstow
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I am afraid that I am not going to agree with the hon. Gentleman today that we should call for anyone’s head. I want the heads of that organisation to be relentless in pursuing the questions that hon. Members have asked today and which I have asked since this came to light about why failures occurred—not just the CQC’s acknowledged failure but failures by others in allowing this to go on for the time it did. I am not calling for resignations, but I am calling for action and resolution. Learning should take place, and there should be change as a result of that learning.