Oral Answers to Questions

Steve Baker Excerpts

Tuesday 28th January 2020 Commons Chamber

[Matt Hancock]

The hon. Gentleman is a man after my own heart. I am sorry that I missed the ribbon cutting, as I love a good ribbon cutting, especially where the project sounds so brilliant and innovative, bringing different parts of the NHS together and helping clinicians in order to help patients. I am glad that he is as enthusiastic as I am about our £14 million investment.

[Mr Steve Baker (Wycombe) (Con)]

8. If his Department will fund the digital transformation of health and social care services in Buckinghamshire; and if he will make a statement.

[The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Matt Hancock)]

We are driving forward the technology agenda across the NHS, as we have just been discussing. Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust is one of the many trusts being considered for digital aspirant funding, which is the next generation of funding to bring hospital trusts into the 21st century.

[Mr Baker]

I am grateful for that, but will the Secretary of State support moving to devolved, multi-year and unified budgets, to enable the delivery of digital technology and, in particular, best value, against specific outcomes?

[Matt Hancock]

Yes, my hon. Friend is spot on. We recognise the need for a multi-year capital settlement in the NHS to support exactly that sort of planning and to modernise, and the Treasury has confirmed that we will publish that settlement at the next capital review.