Oral Answers to Questions

Stephen Hepburn Excerpts

Tuesday 21st October 2014 Commons Chamber

[Dr Poulter]

That sounds like a commendable programme. It is good to hear that my hon. Friend’s local trust, where there was a shortage of nurses, is facing up to that and employing more nurses to ensure that patient care is as good as it can be.

[Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow) (Lab)]

16. What recent representations he has received on hospital walk-in centres.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health (Jane Ellison)]

Ministers have received 34 representations regarding NHS walk-in centres.

[Mr Hepburn]

The NHS walk-in centre in Jarrow sees more than 27,000 people a year, yet the local management propose to close it to pay for the reorganisation that the Government have brought in. Will the Minister intervene on this occasion, overrule the manager and back the local people?

[Jane Ellison]

I find the hon. Gentleman’s question slightly mystifying. Responsibility for walk-in centres was passed to local commissioners in 2007, and as I understand, South Tyneside CCG is looking to improve urgent care in the area and reduce reliance on A and E. It reckons that 33,000 people did not need treatment in 2012-13 in the local A and E, so I quite see why it would want to review that. I urge the hon. Gentleman to engage with the consultation, and to get involved with some of the excellent north-east public health projects such as North East Better Health at Work, which is an award-winning scheme that would do a lot to relieve pressure on services.