Oral Answers to Questions Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateSimon Kirby
Main Page: Simon Kirby (Conservative - Brighton, Kemptown)Department Debates - View all Simon Kirby's debates with the Department of Health and Social Care
(13 years, 5 months ago)
Commons ChamberI remind the hon. Lady again that next year we are increasing NHS resources in real terms. There will be a 3% increase across England in resources for primary care trusts, and as she will know, PCT managers in London are being brought together into PCT groupings. I do not understand the survey. They have a responsibility both to improve clinical commissioning by supporting their GP groups, which are coming together across London to do this, and to ensure strong financial control.
How can the Secretary of State ensure that HIV and sexual health services receive sufficient local political attention?
Local attention, through the public health responsibilities that currently lie with PCTs, but which in future will lie with local authorities, is a means by which we can improve health and the health of some of the groups most at risk of HIV. We have a number of pilot schemes that my hon. Friend might know about and that we are currently assessing, which have looked at opportunistic HIV screening for the many people who are currently undiagnosed with HIV. That is encouraging, and we might well be able to follow up on it.