Tuesday Volume 506 23 February 2010 No. 43 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Tuesday 23 February 2010 £5·00 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2010 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Parliamentary Click-Use Licence, available online through the Office of Public Sector Information website at www.opsi.gov.uk/click-use/ Enquiries to the Office of Public Sector Information, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DU; e-mail: [email protected] 141 23 FEBRUARY 2010 142 Keynes to good practice elsewhere, to enable it to be House of Commons more effective at recruiting the midwives for whom it does have funding? Tuesday 23 February 2010 Ann Keen: My hon. Friend points out that the funding for the posts exists. In fact, nationally there has been a The House met at half-past Two o’clock 38 per cent. increase in the number of student midwives, so we are hopeful that we will reach our target. However, PRAYERS I would ask her to work with the trust and the Royal College of Midwives, and I would be happy to meet her and explain in more detail our programme of events for [MR.SPEAKER in the Chair] retaining midwives. Anne Milton (Guildford) (Con): The Minister has not Oral Answers to Questions really explained where the extra 4,000 midwives will come from. The Government’s own projections show that there will be an increase of only 1,000, but a 2009 memorandum on public expenditure states that between HEALTH 2008 and 2012 an extra 1,500 will graduate each year. Yet the same memorandum projects about 1,800 new graduates a year. On my reckoning, that leaves us 3,000 The Secretary of State was asked— short. Perhaps she can explain exactly where those 3,000 will come from. Midwives Ann Keen: I am glad to explain that to the hon. Lady. 1. Mr. Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con): What his As mentioned in previous answers, we have been working most recent estimate is of the shortfall in the number of most successfully with the Royal College of Midwives midwives employed in (a) Kettering, (b) Northamptonshire on a recruitment returners project. Actually, we are led and (c) England. [317471] to believe that a 38 per cent. increase in the number of students will deliver the target of an extra 4,000 midwives The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health by 2012, and we are on schedule to achieve that. The (Ann Keen): As of September 2008, there were 143 qualified extra money that has gone into midwifery has proved to midwives at the Kettering general hospital foundation be very successful, and of course we have made maternity trust and 161 qualified midwives at the Northampton services a priority, which is reflected in the latest NHS general hospital NHS trust. It is, of course, the responsibility operating framework. of trusts locally to ensure that appropriate midwifery services are provided. There are more than 25,600 midwives Ms Sally Keeble (Northampton, North) (Lab): Is my in the NHS. Trusts met the Government’s commitment hon. Friend aware that in Northampton there has been to recruit an additional 1,000 midwives a year early and a particular increase in the number of babies born with are on target to recruit 4,000 extra midwives by 2012. special needs and that case conferences are needed because of child protection issues? Will she recognise Mr. Hollobone: There is a shortage of seven midwives that that is putting pressure on maternity services and at Kettering general hospital, which is actually very will she support the primary care trust in looking into good compared with the shortage nationally. However, the reasons for that and in providing the support for the the real problem is the shortage of band 6 midwives—the care needed for those babies with complex needs? more experienced midwives. As a result of the shortage, newly qualified trainees entering the system are not Ann Keen: My hon. Friend asks about neonatal intensive undergoing the preceptorship that they are meant to care and the care of high-dependency babies. In the receive. What will the Minister do to address that problem? latter part of last year, we issued a new toolkit to enable PCTs to manage staff and situations better. Again, this Ann Keen: The hon. Gentleman asks a very important is about retaining staff in a highly stressful area. question. At the same time as recruiting and retaining midwives, we are also looking at how we can retain Reciprocal Health Care Agreement experienced midwives by offering a more flexible approach to work and through working in teams. That is the way forward, and I am pleased to say that the vacancies at 2. Sir Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield) (Con): For Kettering should be filled—I am led to believe that what reasons the reciprocal health care agreement with 12 candidates are now ready to be interviewed for the the Isle of Man is to be ended; and if he will make a remaining six positions. We are also working closely statement. [317472] with the Royal College of Midwives on the preceptorship. The Secretary of State for Health (Andy Burnham): Dr. Phyllis Starkey (Milton Keynes, South-West) (Lab): The Government decided to end their bilateral health Maternity services in Milton Keynes are currently being care agreement with the Isle of Man on 31 March 2010, monitored by the Care Quality Commission following a because it no longer represents value for money. Tourists second damning coroner’s report on a neonatal death in will continue to receive free accident and emergency Milton Keynes. There seems to be a particular problem treatment but will now be expected to have insurance to with recruiting midwives. Can the Minister point Milton cover the cost of further treatment. 143 Oral Answers23 FEBRUARY 2010 Oral Answers 144 Sir Nicholas Winterton: I am obviously grateful to James Duddridge: How does the Minister reconcile the Secretary of State for that factual response. However, those comments with those of Azara Mukhtar, the clearly he will be aware that the Isle of Man is a Crown deputy director of NHS London, who said at a recent dependency, that the reciprocal health care agreement meeting that has been in place since 1948 and that the Government’s “additional funding was not going to be forthcoming to support decision to end it at the end of next month was an the commitment to offer free healthcare for those participating in arbitrary one without consultation. Has he given any the 2012 Olympics,” thought to the impact on hospitals in the north-west of and that there were therefore serious England, which could be affected by the decision, and “concerns about how to resolve the cost and resource implications to the position, in particular, of elderly people who go without diverting funding from services for Londoners”? in their retirement to the Isle of Man and will be placed in financial difficulty when it comes to their health care? Mr. O’Brien: Fairly easily. The Department of Health has provided NHS London with an extra £1.5 million Andy Burnham: I am aware that we are talking about for this financial year, which it has confirmed meets its a long-standing agreement, but I hope that the hon. current requirements. The Department is also in discussions Gentleman would accept that it relates to a different with NHS London authorities on the provision of further time, when lots of people from the north-west travelled funding, and we are going through some figures that to the Isle of Man for their holidays. The numbers they have provided us with. At the moment they look to travelling now are around half what they were in the be figures for a worst-case scenario, but we want to go ’40s, ’50s and ’60s of the last century, so there is no through the detail and examine what is needed. However, longer any basis for the agreement as it stood. I am sure we are certainly clear that the health needs of Londoners that he would agree that, right now, I have to look at will not be compromised and that the health needs of securing the maximum value for money from every visitors will be met. piece of Government expenditure. However, I hear the Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead) (Con): But the concern that has been expressed by those in all parts of figure of £1.5 million that the Minister just cited is well the House, so I will keep the matter under close review, short of the £30 million that is the estimated cost to as I said to the Chief Minister of the Isle of Man when I London of putting on the games. Will the Minister met him on 19 January. publish the information that NHS London has given him, as well as the understanding reached when the Jane Kennedy (Liverpool, Wavertree) (Lab): Does my games were bid for, about how much they would cost right hon. Friend agree that the success or otherwise of Londoners through the NHS? the reciprocal health care agreement with the Isle of Man has depended on the excellence of the hospital Mr. O’Brien: First, the figure that the hon. Gentleman care available, particularly in Liverpool? Will he undertake gave is contrary to some of the figures that have been to do everything in his power to advance the building circulated recently, which have actually been larger. projects at the Royal Liverpool University hospital and NHS London has put forward a figure of £41 million, Alder Hey in particular, as there is some anxiety about as a cost spread over four years.