Oral Answers to Questions

Sam Rushworth Excerpts

Tuesday 20th October 2026 Commons Chamber

[Dame Diana Johnson]

As I just said, the Government are improving identification and support for people affected by DES by raising awareness among clinicians and strengthening the dissemination of existing NHS guidance. There are considerable challenges associated with recalling records from the 1940s to the 1970s, particularly because of the record-keeping practices of that era and the fact that the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency had not yet been established at that time, but I am mindful of the point that the hon. Member makes.

[Dr Sam Rushworth (Bishop Auckland) (Lab)]

7. What steps her Department is taking to increase the use of community hospitals and beds for step-down intermediate care.

[The Minister for Secondary Care (Karin Smyth)]

My hon. Friend makes an excellent point about the importance of intermediate care, which is a key component of supporting patients into discharge to recover outside of hospitals. Community beds play an important role, but we are clear that home-based intermediate care also needs support, particularly for frail people, through neighbourhood health. That should be the default pathway, and we will continue to work with the system to make that happen.

[Dr Rushworth]

Ward 7 at Bishop Auckland hospital is an example of the NHS working—physios, nurses, healthcare workers and some excellent facilities—so we were shocked to hear that our local NHS trust plans to close the ward, move it to Darlington and break up that team. Will the Minister meet me so I can represent my constituents and the workers at that hospital, and raise those concerns with her face to face?

[Karin Smyth]

I am, of course, happy to meet my hon. Friend to discuss that issue further. I am clear that all changes to services should be based on clear evidence that they deliver better outcomes for his constituents and people across the country. He is absolutely right that we want to extend care closer to home. As I said, the default is to get more care into people’s homes, and I am happy to discuss that further with him.