Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the implications for his policies of the report by Lord Darzi entitled Independent investigation of the NHS in (a) England and (b) Beckenham and Penge constituency.

Lord Darzi’s full report has laid bare the true extent of the challenges facing our health service, giving us the frank assessment necessary to face these problems honestly and properly, and do the hard work required to fix them. Lord Darzi’s findings will inform our 10-Year Health Plan to radically reform the National Health Service, and build a health service that is fit for the future. across England’s constituencies, such as Beckenham and Penge.

The plan will be a key element of how we deliver the change needed to meet the three mission goals, specifically: a fairer system where everyone lives well for longer: an NHS that is there when people need it: and fewer lives lost to the biggest killers.

This is a long-term challenge and will take time to deliver, and so the plan will consider both the immediate actions needed to get the NHS back on its feet and bring waiting lists down, as well as the longer-term changes needed to make the health service fit for the future.