Stephen Kinnock MP: speeches 2025

Speeches

• 17 Jun 2025 · Mental Health Bill [ Lords ] (Sixth sitting) · Hansard source

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  The clauses will amend section 132 of the Mental Health Act in relation to detained patients, and section 132A in relation to community patients, and insert a new provision in relation to conditionally discharged patients. They place a statutory duty on hospital managers to supply complaints information to detained patients, community patients and conditionally discharged respectively, as well as to their nominated person. Patients, their family and carers have a right to complain about the treatment they receive, including care and treatment under the Mental Health Act. The patient’s rights to complain are enshrined in the NHS constitution. Although the code of practice currently sets out that information about complaints should be provided to patients when they are detained, there is no statutory duty to do so. Under the clauses, hospital managers will be required to provide information on how to make a complaint about: first, functions under the Bill; secondly, any medical treatment for mental disorder received during their detention; and thirdly, the outcome of any complaint about medical treatment. That includes providing information about how to make a complaint to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman about the mismanagement of complaints about medical treatment, where the person believes their complaint to another body—for instance the hospital or CQC—was not appropriately investigated. Hospital managers must take practicable steps to ensure that patients have understood complaints procedures, and information about complaints must be provided both verbally and in writing. The duty requires that information must be provided as soon as practicable after the patient is first detained, when the section that they are detained under changes, when the detention is renewed, or every 12 months for restricted patients under part III of the 1983 Act. For community patients, a duty is triggered as soon as it is practical after being placed on a community treatment order and as soon as practical each time the community treatment order is renewed. For conditionally discharged patients, it is triggered as soon as practicable after being conditionally discharged. I commend clauses 42 to 44 to the Committee.

• 17 Jun 2025 · Mental Health Bill [ Lords ] (Sixth sitting) · Hansard source

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  On safeguards, supervised discharge will only be used when necessary, given its restrictive nature and significant resource demands. A stringent test will apply. It must be deemed necessary by the tribunal or Justice Secretary to protect others from serious harm, and the tribunal must deem it to be no less beneficial than hospital care. Additional safeguards include automatic tribunal referrals after 12 months and every two years thereafter, if not previously reviewed. On capacity, our expectation is that this will not have a significant impact on other restricted patients. The small cohort who are likely to be subject to supervised discharge will free beds, and that could positively impact any patient who needs a bed, but the numbers remain small and are unlikely to lead to widespread bed availability. On demand for secure beds, clause 37 will correct a discrepancy in detention criteria caused by a Court of Appeal decision. Rather than creating further disparity, it aligns the criteria for sections 47 and 48 of the Mental Health Act with the consistent interpretation of available treatment used throughout the rest of the Act. Clause 37 does not alter the approach to clinical prioritisation of in-patient care, or the fact that a person will only be transferred once an appropriate bed has been found, in terms of both therapeutic care and level of security. That also addresses the question on implementation from the hon. Member for Farnham and Bordon. I turn to the questions asked by my hon. Friend the Member for Shipley. She asked about the 28-day limit. Any change to the time limit would require an enhanced level of parliamentary scrutiny. Therefore, the power shall be subject to the draft affirmative procedure to ensure that both Houses are given the opportunity to debate any decision. On dual tests, the Secretary of State for Justice applies a slightly different test from that of the tribunal in order to preserve their discretion in the interests of public protection, but conditions for patients must still be appropriate and proportionate. We will publish operational guidance to make it clear that the Secretary of State for Justice should have regard to the principle of therapeutic benefit and only use this type of discharge when the evidence indicates that it is in the best interests of the patient. Under section 120 of the Mental Health Act, the Care Quality Commission and Health Inspectorate Wales have a duty to monitor the use of the Act. Patients subject to supervised discharge will be captured by section 120 for the purpose of regulatory oversight as a subset of conditionally discharged patients who are liable to be detained under the Mental Health Act. I turn to the questions asked by the shadow Minister, the hon. Member for Hinckley and Bosworth. The Ministry of Justice considers that these measures are compatible with article 5 of the European convention on human rights. In 2018, the Supreme Court case of Secretary of State for Justice v. MM established that there was no lawful basis under the Act to impose conditions that amounted to a deprivation of liberty. The new provisions will provide a statutory basis for the Justice Secretary and the tribunal to impose such conditions.

• 17 Jun 2025 · Mental Health Bill [ Lords ] (Sixth sitting) · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend makes an important point. We are absolutely committed to ensuring that we create a space for young people to provide feedback. Some of that will be around past experiences when making their advance choice documents, but much broader opportunities for feedback will absolutely be built into the system. We want this to be a learning process. It is important that the code of practice is not just a document that sits on the shelf gathering dust; it should be a live document. That is why the feedback is so important. It should be noted that although reflecting on past experiences may be therapeutic for some individuals, for others it can be traumatic, so the measure should be entirely service-user led. We also continue to be concerned about the burden that the amendment would place on independent mental health advocacy services, which are already under strain.

• 17 Jun 2025 · Mental Health Bill [ Lords ] (Sixth sitting) · Hansard source

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  Clause 30 will introduce important reforms to the tribunal process by adjusting the timeframes for when patients can apply to the tribunal regarding their detention. Section 2 patients will now have 21 days rather than the current 14 to apply. This reform addresses concerns that patients in crisis often need more time to fully understand their rights, access legal advice and make an application. For section 3 patients and transferred guardianship patients, clause 30 will reduce the initial application period from six months to three months. This aligns the application period with the new, shorter initial detention period of three months, reduced from six months, for these patients. This change maintains the current rights for these patients to make an application once during each successive period of detention. For conditionally discharged restricted patients, clause 30 provides different application periods. These vary depending on whether the patient has been conditionally discharged with or without conditions that amount to a deprivation of liberty. Conditionally discharged restricted patients who are subject to deprivation of liberty conditions—also known as patients on a supervised discharge—can make an application to the tribunal sooner, between six months and 12 months from the date that they become subject to said conditions, and thereafter every two years. In contrast, conditionally discharged restricted patients who are not subject to deprivation of liberty conditions will have application periods between 12 months and two years, and thereafter every two years. The different application periods reflect the need to consider a patient’s detention more frequently and earlier where more restrictive deprivation of liberty conditions are present. These changes improve access to the tribunal, ensuring greater protection for some of society’s most vulnerable individuals. Clause 31 will strengthen the system of automatic referrals to the tribunal for patients detained under the Mental Health Act. It ensures that patients who may not be able to make an application to the tribunal themselves are still afforded regular judicial oversight. For patients detained under section 2, this clause reduces the automatic referral period from six months to three months. This improves the current safeguard by bringing the trigger for the automatic referral sooner. This will apply when a section 2 patient’s detention has been extended beyond 28 days and no application or referral has been made to the tribunal for review of the patient’s detention. The clause will also improve the automatic referrals for patients detained under section 3. It does this by triggering referrals on the expiry of three months and 12 months and annually thereafter, where the tribunal has not considered the patient’s case. Additionally, this clause removes the automatic referral trigger on revocation of a community treatment order. It was found in practice that the automatic referral was an ineffective safeguard, as often the patient either was back in the community and subject to a new CTO or had reverted to being a section 3 patient before the tribunal reviewed their case. Now, where a patient’s CTO is revoked, they will be automatically referred at three months and 12 months after revocation, and then every subsequent 12 months. This allows the automatic referral periods to apply afresh from the date on which the CTO is revoked. The clause will ensure that patients detained under the Mental Health Act are subject to regular and timely tribunal reviews, particularly when they are unable to advocate for themselves. Clause 32 will deliver important tribunal oversight for the small cohort of restricted patients discharged into the community under conditions that amount to a deprivation of liberty, who are also known as supervised discharge patients. The clause will require patients subject to supervised discharge to be referred initially at 12 months after deprivation of liberty conditions are imposed, followed by a further referral every two years, where the patient’s case has not been heard by the tribunal in this period. The clause will also provide a safeguard for patients who may fluctuate between conditional and supervised discharge, to ensure that no supervised discharge patient will go more than four years without their case being considered by the tribunal. Automatic referrals to the tribunal ensure that patients under some of the most restrictive conditions have routine oversight of their detention where independent review would otherwise be absent. The clause will also clarify the powers of the tribunal when considering the application or reference of a conditionally discharged patient, which include the power for the tribunal to impose conditions amounting to a deprivation of liberty. Deprivation of liberty conditions may be imposed or retained only where the tribunal is satisfied that they are necessary to protect another person from serious harm and are no less beneficial to the patient than a recall to hospital. This test preserves public protection, while enhancing the safeguards in place for conditionally discharged patients, ensuring that their care and liberty are subject to regular independent scrutiny. Together, these changes will promote a more robust system of oversight for patients subject to long-term detention and restrictive conditions, ensuring that their rights are respected and their detention is regularly reviewed. Clause 33 will extend the same principles of regular, proportionate scrutiny to restricted patients who are not conditionally discharged subject to deprivation of liberty conditions. For restricted patients detained in hospital, section 71 will be amended to reduce the automatic referral period from three years to one year. That amendment aligns with the amendments to increase the frequency of automatic referrals introduced in the Bill for part II patients. Through annual tribunal reviews, it is intended that those individuals are safeguarded against inappropriate detention. That aligns with the broader principles of fairness and accountability, ensuring that individuals in long-term detention are subject to appropriate judicial oversight.

• 17 Jun 2025 · Mental Health Bill [ Lords ] (Sixth sitting) · Hansard source

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  I can assure my hon. Friend on that. We have safeguards in place both to ensure that the selection is appropriate in the first place and that, if there are behaviours that indicate that the person is not right for the task, they will be removed and their powers taken away.

• 17 Jun 2025 · Mental Health Bill [ Lords ] (Sixth sitting) · Hansard source

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  I don’t know what that nod means.

• 17 Jun 2025 · Mental Health Bill [ Lords ] (Sixth sitting) · Hansard source

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  I am grateful to the hon. Member for Winchester for bringing this issue before the Committee. The intention of his amendment is to extend the support offered by independent mental health advocates “to cover social and financial stressors and support for family carers and other members of the household when the patient is discharged.” It would amend paragraph 18 of schedule 2, which deals with amendments relating to nominated persons. It should more properly be inserted into schedule 3, which deals with independent mental health advocates. The Bill will already extend the support that advocates can provide to help patients to be involved in decisions about their care and treatment, to be able to make a complaint and to be provided with information about other available services. Those other services could include support following discharge from statutory or voluntary organisations, which may cover social and financial issues, and help to support carers. Those organisations would be better placed to support patients with these specific needs, rather than independent mental health advocates, whose skillset is specific to supporting patients to understand their rights under the Mental Health Act and participate in decisions about their care and treatment. We will consult on guidance in the code of practice to help independent mental health advocates to understand their extended role. In addition to policy regarding independent mental health advocacy, advance choice documents give individuals the chance to give instructions about practical aspects of their life. Examples of such aspects include domestic, financial or caring responsibilities, such as children or pets. This provision allows the individual to be looked after when unwell and aims to ease additional anxieties. For those reasons, I ask the hon. Member for Winchester to withdraw his amendment.

• 17 Jun 2025 · Mental Health Bill [ Lords ] (Sixth sitting) · Hansard source

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  We have made it clear that we are going to continue with DoLS. Basically, we have to look at whether replacing them with LPS will achieve the stated objectives of the exercise, and I am not entirely convinced about that. It is under review. On supporting patients, the independent mental health advocate will ensure that patients are aware of their rights. Throughout the Bill we are ensuring that patients have support by moving to an opt-out model. Additionally, if a patient does not bring a case, they will be referred automatically to the tribunal if a specified period has passed. Patients will be supported in getting tribunal oversight, as the referrals are made by a hospital manager. Question put and agreed to. Clause 30 accordingly ordered to stand part of the Bill. Clauses 31 to 33 ordered to stand part of the Bill. Clause 34 Discharge: process Question proposed, That the clause stand part of the Bill.

• 17 Jun 2025 · Mental Health Bill [ Lords ] (Sixth sitting) · Hansard source

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  But we are tabling an amendment.

• 17 Jun 2025 · Mental Health Bill [ Lords ] (Sixth sitting) · Hansard source

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  We will figure it out as we go along. I have now lost my place. [Interruption.] My answer to the hon. Member for Farnham and Bordon is that the Government are voting against clause 35 stand part.

• 17 Jun 2025 · Mental Health Bill [ Lords ] (Sixth sitting) · Hansard source

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  The aim of the clause is to ensure that a patient’s detention is reviewed sooner. The planned reforms will not change the fundamental power and purpose of the Act, which is to detain and treat people when they are so unwell that they become a risk to themselves or others. Where a patient continues to meet the criteria, their detention will be renewed. Opposition Members have asked about extra paperwork and workload in general for both clinicians and tribunals. In the impact assessment that we published alongside the Bill, we set out the estimated costs and benefits of the reforms and the expected workforce requirements that are critical to our implementation planning. That includes consideration of the impact on clinicians of additional detention reviews, which we have calculated is estimated to be around four hours of additional workload by the clinician for each patient who is detained beyond three months. On the clinical evidence for shortening the detention period, in the independent review we found that in 17% of cases referred to the mental health tribunal, discharge happened in the 48 hours before the hearing, which strongly suggests that some patients are being detained for longer than is necessary.

• 17 Jun 2025 · Mental Health Bill [ Lords ] (Sixth sitting) · Hansard source

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  The hon. Member for Chester South and Eddisbury asked who can make referrals in addition to hospital managers. The list of responsible persons is in proposed new section 130CC, in paragraph 6 of schedule 3. In addition to hospital managers, the responsible local social services authority is also required to notify providers of advocacy services about qualifying patients; whether it is a matter for the hospital or the local authority depends on the patient. I was asked whether there are enough people to fulfil the tasks of the IMHA. The impact assessment gives our current best estimate of likely workforce and funding requirements and sets out the expected expansion required for each workforce group. We will recruit approximately 330 additional IMHAs.

• 17 Jun 2025 · Mental Health Bill [ Lords ] (Sixth sitting) · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mrs Harris, not least because I understand you have just returned from New Zealand, where you had duties as the Government’s trade envoy. I thought perhaps we should do a haka in your honour to mark it, but you might rule against that.

• 17 Jun 2025 · Mental Health Bill [ Lords ] (Sixth sitting) · Hansard source

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  I will first discuss clause 41 and schedule 3. Independent mental health advocates are specially trained advocates who can support patients detained under the Mental Health Act to understand their rights and participate in decisions about their care and treatment, but not everyone who would benefit from an independent mental health advocate currently has access to one. In view of the benefits that advocacy can bring, we are expanding the right to an independent mental health advocate to all mental health patients, including informal or voluntary patients who are not detained under the Act. We know that some informal patients are not told about their rights and legal status. Informal patients in Wales already have the protection, and we want to extend it to patients in England. It will help ensure that the voices of individuals are heard and their rights respected, and that potentially vulnerable groups, including children and young people, do not go without important advocacy protections. Moreover, the Bill provides an additional enhanced mechanism for ensuring that the most vulnerable mental health patients, those compulsorily detained under the Mental Health Act, are able to benefit from advocacy. We are introducing an opt-out system for that particular cohort, to put the onus on hospital managers rather than patients themselves to request independent mental health advocacy services. Hospital managers must notify providers of advocacy services about the patients who are eligible for IMH advocacy. Advocacy providers must then arrange for independent mental health advocates to interview those patients to find out whether they want to use their services. The right to an independent mental health advocate will also be expanded to include part III patients who are subject to the new supervised discharge, which allows for part III patients to be conditionally discharged into the community and still deprived of their liberty. The Bill also enables independent mental health advocates to provide extra help to patients to have a greater say in their treatment or to make a complaint. Together, these changes increase the access that patients have to advocacy, which contributes to improved patient rights. I will next address amendment 19. We appreciate that people under 18 are a vulnerable group who would benefit from advocacy representation. For this reason, the Bill extends the right to an independent mental health advocate to informal patients, including under-18s, who are often admitted on a voluntary basis. We are introducing a duty on hospital managers to inform them of this right. That means that hospital managers will be expected to proactively approach all children and young people, and others, such as their parents or carers, to make sure they know that they are entitled to an advocate and help them to appoint one. We will make it clear in the code of practice how independent mental health advocates should support children and young people with their particular needs. However, we think it is right that detained patients, including under-18s—rather than informal patients—receive advocacy on an opt-out basis. This is because they are subject to greater restrictions, meaning that it is even more important that they are supported to exercise their rights. Finally, I will address Government amendments 42 and 43. Schedule 3 introduces the concept of “English qualifying informal patients”, who, for the first time in England, will be eligible for independent mental health advocacy services. We are amending this measure to change the definition of both English and Welsh qualifying informal patients. Amendments 42 and 43 are minor amendments to address a technical issue with the legislation. There is case law saying that the term “informal patient” would cover anyone there on a voluntary basis and not subject to any compulsory legislative framework. However, as currently drafted, the Bill’s definition is wider, defining an informal patient in England or Wales as an in-patient in hospital who is receiving assessment or treatment for a mental disorder at the hospital but not subject to the Mental Health Act. A person deprived of their liberty under any other legislation such as the Mental Capacity Act 2005 or under a court order would therefore be classed as an “informal patient”, which would be incorrect, as people who are detained cannot, under case law, be informal patients. That would lead to complications in practice. A patient subject to the deprivation of liberty safeguards would be eligible for independent mental health advocacy as well as independent mental capacity advocacy. However, an independent mental health advocate cannot provide any help or support in relation to the Mental Capacity Act. The amendments address that issue by changing the definitions of “English qualifying informal patient” and “Welsh qualifying informal patient”, to be an in-patient receiving assessment or treatment for a mental disorder who is not detained under any other legislation or court order. For those reasons, I hope that the hon. Member for Winchester is satisfied not to press his amendment, and I commend Government amendments 42 and 43, clause 41 and schedule 3 to the Committee.

• 17 Jun 2025 · Mental Health Bill [ Lords ] (Sixth sitting) · Hansard source

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  With all due respect to the hon. Gentleman, I am not going to spend time shuffling my papers around. If he cares to look at schedule 2, I think he will find it there. Government amendments 40 and 41 have been tabled because we believe that it is not necessary to specify in legislation which person the parental responsibility the approved mental health professional must appoint as nominated person for an under-16-year-old. We have committed to clarify this in the code of practice. We have committed to establishing an expert taskforce to support the development of a statutory code of practice to provide clear guidance for professionals involved in the nominated person appointment process. The fourth question was whether we need parental responsibility by default. The current nearest relative provision assigns an automatic relative according to a hierarchical list, which does not reflect modern family structures. For instance, step-parents and parents who live abroad are not included. That can mean that children and young people may have a nearest relative who can make decisions about their care but who may not know the child well or engage with the role, or who could even be a risk to them. Without formal care proceedings, the child would be left to be represented by a relative who will not act in their best interests. Fifthly, questions were raised about how to ensure that young patients are not isolated from family support if needed. Engagement with children and young people suggests that they are most likely to appoint their parent as a nominated person. If they appoint someone who is not their parent, then parents could still be involved in their care and treatment where appropriate. Safeguards are in place to allow for the overruling and displacement of the nominated person if they are behaving in a way that is not in the child or young person’s best interests. Similarly, where a child is under a care order and parental responsibility sits primarily with the local authority, the local authority will retain its parental responsibility for the child even if the child chooses a nominated person who is not the local authority. The code of practice will provide guidance on how practitioners should include those with parental responsibility and care in key processes and decisions. Sixthly, in cases where there are safeguarding concerns, what safeguards exist to ensure that the nominated person acts in the best interests of the child? The witness will determine whether the child’s nomination is suitable. Clinicians will also have the power to overrule decisions made by a nominated person if they think there is a danger to the patient or to others. The patient, an approved mental health professional, parents and anyone with an interest in the child’s welfare can apply to the court to displace the nominated person if they think they are behaving in a way that is not in the child’s best interests. Finally, there was a question about how we will ensure that there is no coercion, including in the example involving an older partner. We will provide guidance to the witness on how to check that no coercion has taken place, as well as wider suitability criteria. A nominated person cannot be appointed if coercion or undue pressure has taken place. We intend to state in the code, subject to consultation, that an advocate should be involved early on to provide support to the child or young person throughout the nomination process. Advocates could work with witnesses to ensure that they have the relevant information about the child to make an informed appointment. I hope that hon. Members are satisfied with those answers and will not press their amendments. I commend Government amendments 40 and 41, clauses 24 to 28 and schedule 2 to the Committee. Question put and agreed to. Clause 24 accordingly ordered to stand part of the Bill. Schedule 2 Nominated persons Amendment proposed : 54, in schedule 2, page 77, line 21, at end insert— “(3) Where the patient has not attained the age of 16 years, a nominated person must have parental responsibility for the patient.”— (Dr Evans.) This amendment would stipulate that the nominated person for a patient under 16 must have parental responsibility for the patient.

• 17 Jun 2025 · Mental Health Bill [ Lords ] (Sixth sitting) · Hansard source

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  As has been discussed, as soon as the Bill gets Royal Assent we will launch an extensive consultation around the code of practice. The code of practice will cover everything from training to recruitment to capacity building, and the plan will be set out in the first annual written ministerial statement, which will take place one year after the Bill receives Royal Assent. My hon. Friend the Member for Hertford and Stortford asked about children admitted informally. We are introducing a duty on hospital managers to inform informal patients of their right to a mental health advocate. We will set out the importance of independent mental health advocate representation for children and young people in the code of practice. That could include the importance of a proactive approach for hospital managers. We will also describe in the code the new role for independent mental health advocates in relation to informal patients, including vulnerable in-patient groups, such as children and young people, people from ethnic minority backgrounds and people with a learning disability or autism. The hon. Member for Farnham and Bordon asked whether we have the money for it. The funding requirements will, I think, be related to our best estimate of likely workforce and funding requirements. If we are going for 330 additional IMHAs, the funding requirements will be defined by that number. The shadow Minister, the hon. Member for Hinckley and Bosworth, asked whether it will be local authority funding. We are obliged to fund new burdens on local authorities to resource this expansion of the independent mental health advocates. He then asked a blizzard of additional questions; I got lost in the thread of them all. We will go through Hansard and write to him.

• 17 Jun 2025 · Mental Health Bill [ Lords ] (Sixth sitting) · Hansard source

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  I did not catch the question to which the hon. Gentleman is referring. Could he repeat it, please?

• 17 Jun 2025 · Mental Health Bill [ Lords ] (Sixth sitting) · Hansard source

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  Yes, but the issue may have a bearing on a potential Division. The challenge that I am facing is that my notes said, “This amendment seeks to overturn”, but we are talking about a clause that is seeking to overturn a previous amendment. Are we speaking in favour of a clause that will overturn an amendment? [Interruption.] Confusion reigns.

• 17 Jun 2025 · Mental Health Bill [ Lords ] (Sixth sitting) · Hansard source

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  This amendment seeks to overturn the previous amendment tabled—sorry, I should have said “the clause”. The clause seeks to overturn the previous amendment, tabled by Earl Howe and Lord Kamall. Although we support the intention of the amendment, our view continues to be that it would be duplicative. There are already many ways in which service user feedback is used to inform policy and practice. For instance, every year the Care Quality Commission conducts thousands of interviews and visits with people detained under the Mental Health Act 1983. That may result in the CQC investigating a complaint or requiring an action statement from providers about service improvements. Although there may be room to enhance existing feedback mechanisms, we would prefer to improve what we have rather than create something new that would risk confusion. If the objective is to provide time and space for the person to reflect on their past experiences post-discharge, I reassure the Committee that that should already form a part of co-producing a person’s care in the community plan. We also intend to create space for individuals to reflect on past experiences when making their advance choice document, with facilitation from a suitably qualified person.

• 17 Jun 2025 · Mental Health Bill [ Lords ] (Sixth sitting) · Hansard source

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  We will absolutely provide guidance on that in the code, but the consultee in the case of a detained person is someone who is professionally concerned with the patient’s treatment, whether that be in the hospital or in the community, and who is from a discipline different from that of the responsible clinician. Those criteria will be applied throughout the process. Finally, on the question from the Opposition spokesman, the hon. Member for Hinckley and Bosworth, yes, reasons will have to be given whenever there is a difference of opinion. All the relevant documentation and how that should work will be set out in the code of practice. Question put and agreed to. Clause 34 accordingly ordered to stand part of the Bill. Clause 35 Ascertaining and learning from patients’ experiences of hospital treatment Question proposed, That the clause stand part of the Bill.

• 17 Jun 2025 · Care in the Community · Hansard source

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  May I just tackle the idea that we are not working at pace on these issues? We have had the unpaid carer’s uplift from £151 to £196, which is the biggest uplift in carer’s allowance since the 1970s when the policy was brought in; hundreds of millions of pounds’ uplift in the disabled facilities grant; and groundbreaking legislation for a fair pay agreement for care workers. Those are just some of the immediate steps that we have taken. The first phase of the Casey review will report next year and we continue to work closely with Baroness Casey to deliver the reforms that are so desperately needed after 14 years of neglect, including a number of years when the Liberal Democrats were in government.

• 17 Jun 2025 · Care in the Community · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend for that important question. The role that midwives play, alongside other community health services such as district nurses, has been chronically underfunded and neglected over the past 14 years. She will be pleased to know that the role of community healthcare is front and centre in our 10-year plan, and I think she will be interested in and pleased with what she sees when that plan is published.

• 17 Jun 2025 · Care in the Community · Hansard source

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  It is really good to hear about the fantastic work going on in my hon. Friend’s constituency. We are working with systems to move to a neighbourhood health model by building on existing good practice, particularly around the development of multidisciplinary teams. Aylesbury is an outstanding example of that. Ahead of the 10-year health plan’s publication, local communities can continue to make progress by utilising the neighbourhood health guidelines that were published back in January.

• 17 Jun 2025 · Care in the Community · Hansard source

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  I have to correct the hon. Lady: the commission is up and running, Baroness Casey has started meetings and she had a roundtable just a few weeks ago with people who have lived experience. The hon. Lady is therefore not correct on that point and I am sure that she will want to correct the record. On the point about delayed discharge, the hon. Lady is absolutely right. We are reforming the better care fund to get much better interface between hospitals, care and local authorities. That system and those relationships can and should work much better, but there are pressing, long-term challenges. We are conscious of that and are working at pace with Baroness Casey to ensure that those reforms are delivered.

• 17 Jun 2025 · Care in the Community · Hansard source

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  We are getting the NHS back on its feet and making it fit for the future by shifting care to the community with £889 million more for GPs, 1,700 additional frontline GPs, 700,000 extra urgent dental appointments annually and a 19% uplift to the community pharmacy contract. Looking to the future, our commitment to building a neighbourhood health service is right at the heart of our 10-year plan.