Health and Adult Social Care Reform

Rosena Allin-Khan Excerpts

Monday 6th January 2025 Commons Chamber

[Wes Streeting]

That is a great question. First, I will put on my shin pads and crash helmet if Andrew Dilnot is in front of the hon. Lady’s Select Committee this week. I can well understand his frustration. He is a decent man who did an excellent piece of work. It must be frustrating to see one Government after the next not implementing something that was welcomed. The issue for us as an incoming Government is that the money was not there, and even if it had been, the system had not been set up to deliver for the October 2025 deadline. We chose to act on other immediate pressures in other areas, because we saw those needs as more pressing. That does not mean for a moment that I think Andrew Dilnot’s work is no longer valuable—I think it might well be. However, we have to consider the issues in the round and come up with a clear and sustainable plan that we can stick to.

On why the Casey commission will be different and will work, it is important to have as much political consensus around the House as possible. The national consensus and getting the public on board will be important. Anyone who has ever met Louise Casey will know she is a difficult woman to say no to. I have no doubt that if Louise Casey says something needs to be done, this Government and future Governments—whoever is in government—will make sure that it happens.

[Dr Rosena Allin-Khan (Tooting) (Lab)]

Happy new year, Mr Speaker. Yesterday and over the Christmas recess I was working shifts in my local A&E at St George’s in Tooting. Up and down the country, doctors like me were seeing older and disabled patients who could not be discharged from hospital due to a lack of good, affordable social care in the community, so I welcome the steps that have been outlined. What steps will the Secretary of State outline to ameliorate the imminent pressures sooner?