Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Sajid Javid and Suzanne Webb

Tuesday 14th June 2022 Commons Chamber

[Suzanne Webb (Stourbridge) (Con)]

4. What progress he has made on recruiting 26,000 primary care staff.

[The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Sajid Javid)]

The Government’s commitment to deliver 50 million more general practice appointments is critical for improving access to primary care across the country. Our workforce are crucial for that, and we are well on track to deliver 26,000 more full-time primary care staff by March 2024, with more than 18,000 primary care staff already recruited since 2019.

[Suzanne Webb]

I thank my right hon. Friend for that answer. Does he agree that when it comes to accessing primary care services, the Government have given GPs the support and guidance that they need and that GPs must now make every effort to see our constituents face to face, which is what they expect? What more can be done to support GP practices to make their processes more efficient for patient access to test results and blood tests and for booking appointments?

[Sajid Javid]

I agree with my hon. Friend and am incredibly grateful, as she is, for the huge contribution of GPs during the pandemic in helping to deliver the largest vaccination programme that the NHS has ever seen. Because of the pandemic, we also provided record support to GPs that helped to cut bureaucracy, helped them to share their workload and helped clinicians to give even more support to patients.

We are starting to see the results of that, with face-to-face appointments going up—we would like to see them go up much further. We would also like to see increases in appointments, including for access to blood tests. My hon. Friend might know that yesterday we published our new data strategy, which sets out how, using the NHS app, we will give more people access to their health results.

Covid-19 Update

Debate between Sajid Javid and Suzanne Webb

Monday 6th December 2021 Commons Chamber

[Sajid Javid]

Yes.

[Suzanne Webb (Stourbridge) (Con)]

Does my right hon. Friend agree that the best Christmas present anyone can get this year is to go and get their booster jab?

Covid-19 Update

Debate between Sajid Javid and Suzanne Webb

Friday 26th November 2021 Commons Chamber

[Sajid Javid]

That is a very good question. This has moved so fast that so far we have had no indications about the potential impact of the new variant on children in particular. As soon as we have any information, we will want to share it.

The child vaccination programme in the UK is going well throughout the country, and has built up a significant momentum. As for whether second doses would be recommended, we will await the expert advice of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation.

[Suzanne Webb (Stourbridge) (Con)]

I welcome the swiftness of the Government’s response to the new variant that is under investigation. Can my right hon. Friend confirm that, as the situation develops, the Government will continue to move at the earliest possible opportunity?

[Sajid Javid]

Yes, I can certainly make that commitment to my hon. Friend. She may know from the information that the Government have already shared that we identified the significance of this variant only two or three days ago, and we did not hesitate to take action, because, as we have always said, we will protect our borders when it comes to this pandemic.